If That Ain't Country

In this week's episode, we're featuring one of the most honest albums in the long career of Hank Williams, Jr.: "Habits Old & New" (1980). After a suicide attempt in 1974, a severe climbing accident in '75 and a divorce in '77 - there's little doubt that Hank Jr. did some re-evaluating. He emerged with a new musical direction. Steering away from the traditional country sounds of his famous father that had been his mainstay for the past 10+ years, Bocephus added elements of blues and southern rock and in a fourteen month period in the late 70s/early 80s, he hit his musical high point, in this reviewer's opinion. Three releases, which culminated in our feature album in 1980 brought a brutal honesty and rebellious attitude which he became known for. "Habits Old & New" pulled no punches and remains a fan favourite. Highlights include the intensely personal "All In Alabama" about his near-death trip up Ajax Peak; the cynical "The American Way" and the iconic "The Blues Man". A lot of country fans found something to relate to in this album, and you may just be able to see why.

In this week's episode, we're featuring the fourth album from Canada's Western Swing Authority: "Big Deal" (2018). Fronted by husband and wife team Shane Guse (fiddle, vocals) and Stacey Lee Guse (vocals), the Western Swing Authority is a seven-piece act based around Ontario. Their music is big, bright and appealing: much like Haggard helped bring Bob Wills to a 70s audience, the WSA take the traditions of the music pioneered by Wills and his contemporaries and present it in a way you won't hear anywhere else in 2018. Packed with fiddle breakdowns and steel solos, the WSA have plucked help from every corner of Canadian music, especially giving contemporary Canadian country stars in George Canyon, Jason McCoy and Jason Blaine a chance to sing on something a little more traditional than usual. These genre-busting collaborations will only help the propagation of this uniquely American artform. Highlights on "Big Deal" include a dynamite rendition of Hoyle Nix's "Big Ball's In Cowtown", the prohibition-esque "Swingin' From The Rafters" and my personal favourite, the straight-country heart and soul included in "This Old Bar". The music itself is delivered in an incredibly fun, infectious and accessible yet traditional manner - with a little more exposure, the WSA could be the act to bring western swing to a 21st century audience. Here's hoping!

In this week's episode, we're featuring a 1977 album from a man who doesn't get a lot of love on classic country radio in 2018: Tommy Overstreet. With his band The Nashville Express, the album is called "There'll Never Be Another First Time" and it's a marked departure from the majority of Overstreet's body of work. Firstly, the title is referring to the first time that Tommy Overstreet was able to record an album with his road band, rather than with traditional studio musicians. Secondly, with his road band behind him, Overstreet pumps out a solid traditional country sound that isn't exactly in line with a lot of his career. Known as somewhat of a country-pop stylist, Overstreet was a cousin to Gene Austin, one of the original crooners, and T.O. himself recorded pop and rock music before switching to country in his native Texas. While Overstreet's regular output is enjoyable enough for this reviewer, with ten of the eleven tracks written by Tommy Overstreet himself and subject matter ranging from time on the road through to the toll that touring has on marriage, "There'll Never Be Another First Time" is a very enjoyable piece of 70s traditional country.

In this week's episode, we're featuring Ray Price's brief return to his alma mater at Columbia Records: "Sometimes A Rose" (1992). Price had been with Columbia from his very first LP through 1974, and this reunion only lasted the one album. His charting days were behind him, but quality was still the name of the game for The Cherokee Cowboy and his voice truly seems to have gotten better with age. From a hardcore honky tonk stylist, the conscious shift was made to country crooner and Price wears that badge with pride on much of "Sometimes A Rose" - the title track, "You Need A Lady In Your Life" and "Look What Followed Me Home" the pick of the bunch on that side of the coin. However, with Hal Rugg on steel and triple fiddles from Rob Hajacos, Hoot Hester and Hank Singer - Price must have intended to slip in at least a few shuffles for his honky tonk fanbase - and "I Apologize", "Please Don't Leave Me" and a re-recording of his own 1963 cut "A Way To Free Myself" satisfies the most avid two-stepper. Whatever your preferred Ray Price style, there's enough in "Sometimes A Rose" to appease both camps, with Price's buttery vocals the glue that binds a very worthy early 90s offering.

In this week's episode, we're featuring high-top mid-60s George Jones at his best. Just for kicks, we're playing his fourth album for Musicor "Love Bug" (1966) in it's entirety. After signing with Musicor Records in the spring of 1965, Jones went right to work and his first three singles went Top 10 for his new backers: "Things Have Gone To Pieces", "Love Bug" and "Take Me". Less than a year into his contract, Jones released our feature album (already his fourth at that label), and the "Love Bug" LP contained all three of those first singles - the second album to contain all three after 1965's "New Country Hits". That workrate, and the fact that Jones would record an album in sometimes less than a week during that period (occasionally in as little as three hours by Jones' own admission) lead some fans to label his Musicor output as rushed and underproduced. And while it's true that nine of the twelve "Love Bug" tracks, recorded in under seven days in June of 1966, were contemporary covers - Jones' trademark country yowl is in career-best form. Featuring Johnny Paycheck on vocals for some of the tracks, there's nothing cheap about a frenetic version of "Six Days On The Road"; a cover of Warner Mack's "The Bridge Washed Out" that makes you think The Possum could've done that song himself; and the pure sorrow of "Blue Side Of Lonesome" and Cliff Bruner's "Unfaithful One" is vintage Jones. Maybe it felt rushed at the time, but George Jones' Musicor era makes for solid country gold listening fifty plus years later.

In this week's episode, we're featuring Mel Tillis' first album on the Kapp label: "Stateside" (1966). After a short time with RIC, and following a longer stint with Columbia - Kapp signed Tillis in the mid 60s, and he was there for five years, releasing ten high quality albums in that time. Tillis fans will eagerly tell you about the bright artwork, the big Nudie suits and hard country style that typified his work for Kapp and "Stateside" is no different. A blockbuster release for 1966, it contains 12 songs - about half covers and half Tillis' own material. The album contained two Top 20 hits for Tillis - the first of his career - in "Wine" and "Stateside", which later became very popular with US servicemen stationed overseas, especially in The Far East. Perhaps a lonely Air Force recruit himself while stationed in Okinawa in the early 50s, Mel Tillis later took the inspiration of "Stateside" and named his band after the hit song. Other highlights, from a very worthy label debut include Billy Swan's mournful "Buried Alive", "Tormented Heart" and two duets with Sue York: "Home Is Where The Hurt Is" and "Above Suspicion". York, described as a "a tall stately Kentucky darling with long, flowing red hair and a magic, lyrical way with a country music song" has a voice which perfectly suits Tillis' and wears it like a vocal glove. She seems to disappear after 1966, but definitely contributes to a very enjoyable Mel Tillis album here.

In this week's episode, we're featuring a stone-cold country tribute to The Possum from Tennessee-native James Carothers: "Still Country, Still King: A Tribute To George Jones" (2018). After leaving a good job as a technican at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, and with some encouragement from his wife and two kids - the Carothers moved the homeplace to Nashville, Tennessee to allow James to pursue country music. Gigs were hard to come by in the first few months - until a chance encounter with Nancy Jones (George's fourth and final wife) at the newly opened George Jones Museum in 2015 led to a residency there. Carothers played almost two years straight there - honing his craft and making friends with like-minded Possum tragics. Amongst strong original projects - he was approached with the opportunity to record a tribute album to George Jones and jumped at the opportunity. The results are simply superb: half hits, half deeper cuts, Carothers and his team have expertly mined Jones' later material for some un-thrashed gems as well as worthy favourites. James Carothers' Jones-like howl shines on the harrowing "What Am I Doing There" and "Still Doin' Time"; the longing in "Wood & Wire" is palpable and the best cover this reviewer has ever heard of "He Stopped Loving Her Today" is not just the cherry on top: it's the jewel in the crown of a sparkling tribute album. Bloody sensational.

In this week's episode we're featuring a very personal and sometimes touching tribute to Ernest Tubb from his eldest son, Justin Tubb: "Justin Tubb" (1985). Released a year after ET's death, Justin Tubb had wanted to do a tribute album while the old man was still living but it just didn't pan out that way. Instead, JT rounded up several of ET's Texas Troubadours, formed the creatively named "Troubadours Two" and launched into this wonderful tribute. Song selection was based on those Ernest Tubb tunes which held a special place and meaning for Justin himself - and included are several of ET's best known songs as well as some lesser hits. Justin Tubb made a conscious decision early on to not piggyback on his Daddy's larger-than-life reputation, and as such his work was sometimes overshadowed when the Tubb family name came up. However, in terms of quality, Justin Tubb's solo material is easily as good, in this reviewer's opinion, as his old man's - and his vocal certainly held it's own. His songwriting too was first call to the stars from the 50s until the 80s, and he's included three new songs for this tender tribute to the so-called "Daddy Of 'Em All", which rings true in this case. Listen for "Thanks, Troubadour, Thanks" and "Just You And Me Daddy" for a surefire lump in your throat.

In this week's episode, we're featuring an energetic western swing outing from young Texan Kristyn Harris, "Down The Trail" (2015). Based in the Lone Star State, but taking bookings from coast to coast and even further afield - Kristyn Harris' brand of western and western swing music is infectious. Throw in some artful yodelling, a big smile you can hear when she sings and a healthy respect for tradition and you can understand her popularity. A student of those western and western swing singers and musicians that came before, as well as lending her own pen to multiple numbers, "Down The Trail" is a winner from front to back. Highlights include her own "Acres Of Nowhere", a breathless cover of "I've Been Everywhere (In Texas)" and the rollicking "Thank Heavens For Dale Evans". This week's episode also features two live tracks and interview audio from Kristyn, who was kind enough to donate a few minutes of her time to have a chat with us before the Pro Cowboy Country Music Awards in 2018. Keep an eye on this one, she's going places.

In this week's episode, we're celebrating the songwriting prowess of Wayne Kemp with his debut full-length album "Wayne Kemp" (1971). Few of country's best composer's could boast the way with words that this purveyor of hard country possessed, and he had handfuls of songs recorded by some of country's legends, as we explore in this week's episode. George Jones, Conway Twitty & George Strait were particular fans of Kemp-penned material, which is more of an endorsement than anyone in country music could hope to get. During his own recording career, Kemp never reached the heights he should have. He had long play albums out on Decca (our feature album), MCA and Door Knob but enjoyed only a few minor chart hits. His vocal style suited the material he excelled at writing: cheating and hurting songs, barroom and carousing anthems - all dripping with fiddle & steel, sorrow & triumph. From his days playing guitar for Patsy Cline, Red Sovine, Jones & Twitty - he must have picked up something along the way because our feature album features some of the best pure country music you could ever hope to hear in any era. Highlights include some of his own compositions in "Bar Room Habits", "Won't You Come Home (And Talk To A Stranger)" and the heartbroken "Who'll Turn Out The Lights" as well as a handy cover of Faron Young's hit (via Ray Griff) "Step Aside".