Hi everyone, my name is Paul Adams and Chris has asked me if he
could incorporate my Listening Theme series into this shiny new website
of his. The process is simple. To find more music for my ipod I put up a theme
and you Songbook Highway fans post your recommendations. Here is this week’s theme…
—Paul Adams (London, Oct 09)
Listening Theme – Outlaw Country
A special Listening Theme this week for two reasons.
Firstly, we have our first guest theme-setter, Brandy Wood.
Brandy was the very first contributor to my very first Listening Theme back in
March so it seemed appropriate that she should be given the honor of
setting her own theme. On top of that, she has been a regular and
valued contributor to this series of mine over the past six months or
so. Secondly, this is the first Listening Theme hosted by Chris LeRoy
and this new website – thanks Chris.
Anyway, Brandy has chosen for her theme ‘Outlaw Country’:
“…the more I think on it, the more I think I would want to suggest the Outlaw
Country theme. Very niche, but your cast of regulars will have good
answers!” she says.
Not a genre I’m too familiar with personally but with your help I should learn a bit more about the subject.
Brandy (as I’m sure all of you know) recorded the album ‘Countrysides’ whilst
she was bass player with Cracker, an album featuring covers of some
great Outlaw Country tracks originally done by the likes of Merle
Haggard, Hank Williams Jnr and Ray Wylie Hubbard (a great album, go buy
it if you haven’t got it!).
If, like me, Outlaw Country is new to you check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outlaw_country
I’ll need your help on this one, so if you can recommend any great Outlaw Country albums for me to try I’d be very grateful.
Thanks,
Paul
Railbenders!!
http://www.archive.org/details/Railbenders
To kick things off, I asked Johnny Hickman for his recommendations before Cracker left for their European tour and here is his reply:
Here’s a list for ya Paul. Feel free to post it! Johnny
1) “Folsom Prison Blues” by Johnny Cash. The #1 outlaw country classic.
“Cocaine Blues” as recorded by Johnny Cash
2) “The Fightin Side Of Me” by Merle Haggard who was in the audience at Folsom when Cash played there.
3) “The Redheaded Stranger” by Willie Nelson. Some scary gunplay in this one!
4) “Sing Me Back Home” by Merle Haggard. Written in prison for a man there on death row.
5) “What I Don’t Know” by Dwight Yoakum.
6) “Buenos Noches From A Lonely Room” by Dwight Yoakum. (Red Dresses)
7) “Psycho” as recorded by Eddie Noack
9) “Reason’s To Quit” by Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson
10) “Long Tall Pine Tree” By The Hickman Dalton Gang. Couldn’t help it”
The Highwaymen, a great outlaw supergroup, so rad they covered the Jimmy Webb tune that coined their name.
What if they had decided on Up Up and Away?
Chris
Funnily enough Chris, I did listen to the first Highwaymen album today. As an introduction, I thought I’d start off by listening to Outlaw Country radio on last.fm and they played a track which I liked so went on to listen to the album.
Another album I listened to today as a result of hearing a track on last.fm was Delirium Tremolos by Ray Wylie Hubbard – fantastic album, I might treat myself to this.
Here’s my playlist so far
(please put me straight if these aren’t classed as Outlaw Country):
RAY WYLIE HUBBARD: Delirium Tremolos (last.fm
THE HIGHWAYMEN: The Highwaymen (last.fm)
STEVE EARLE: Copperhead Road (deezer.com)
SHOOTER JENNINGS: Put the O Back In Country (deezer.com) – thanks Brandy
RAILBENDERS: Segundo (last.fm) – thanks Morst
JOHNNY CASH: At Folsom Prison (last.fm)
MERLE HAGGARD: Strangers (last.fm)
WILLIE NELSON: Red Headed Stranger (last.fm)
JAMEY JOHNSON: That Lonesome Song (last.fm)
Some of the artists you have dabbled in outlaw country, but I’m sure are “outlaw” in the strictest sense. All of them are great suggestions though.
I think you need a little David Allan Coe on your list:
Willie, Waylon, and Me
and
The Ride are both good choices to start from.
How about some Kris Kristofferson? His best tracks were always covered by other people including Cash’s Sunday Morning Coming Down. I’d check out his version of SMCD and perhaps For the Good Times. Can’t go wrong with a member of The Highwaymen!
Playlist (Part 2):
SAMMI SMITH: Help Me Make It Through The Night – The Memorial Album (deezer.com)
JOHNNY PAYCHECK: Biggest Hits (last.fm)
KRIS KRISTOFFERSON: Kristofferson (last.fm)
DAVID ALLAN COE: 17 Greatest Hits (last.fm)
WILLIE NELSON, MERLE HAGGARD & RAY PRICE: Last of the Breed (deezer.com)
JOHNNY CASH: American Recordings (last.fm)
WAYLON JENNINGS: Nashville Rebel (last.fm)
MERLE HAGGARD: Mama Tried (last.fm)
BILLY JOE SHAVER: Tramp on your Street (last.fm)
GUY CLARK: The Essential Guy Clark (last.fm)
JIMMIE DALE GILMORE: Come On Back (last.fm)
HANK WILLIAMS JNR.: Lone Wolf (CD)
CHARLIE DANIELS BAND: The Roots Remain (last.fm)
EDDIE NOACK: Psycho (YouTube.com)
DWIGHT YOAKHAM: Buenos Noches From A Lonely Room (YouTube.com)
ROBERT EARL KEEN: Walking Distance (last.fm)
LEFTY FRIZZELL: Look What Thoughts Will Do (last.fm)
RAY PRICE: 16 Biggest Hits (last.fm)
JERRY REED: The Essential Jerry Reed (last.fm)