Show #147 – Johnny Cash

Today, February 26, marks the birthday of one John R. (Johnny) Cash.  We marked the day with a birthday tribute to the man in black by playing him singing his songs, him singing other people’s songs, other people singing his songs, and other songs that influenced him.  In the last 1/2 hour we played a solid Bakersfield set.  I could go on and on about how Johhny Cash was a huge influence on many musicians, about how he changed the face of country music, or how he championed certain songwriters on his TV show and by performing their songs, but I won’t.  It’s all there on the internets with some simple searches or at the library in the form of books.  What stands out is the impressive body of work the man made throughout his entire lifetime.  His music even got stronger with his final “American” recordings with Rick Rubin.  So, here’s to you, Johnny Cash – Thank you!

Artist	Cut	Album	Label
Tim Hus	Bakersfield Music	Bushpilot Buckaroo	Stony Plain Records
Johnny Cash	Folsom Prison Blues	At Folsom Prison	Columbia
Johnny Cash & Bob Dylan	Girl from the North Country	Songs From The Real America	Swingin’ Pig Records
Dwight Yoakam	Understand Your Man	Dwight’s Used Records	Koch
Hank III	Wreck of the Old ’97	Dressed In Black – A Tribute to Johnny Cash	dualtone
Bruce Springsteen	Give My Love to Rose	Kindred Spirits – A Tribute to the Songs of Johnny Cash	Sony
Raul Malo	I Guess Things Happen that Way	Dressed In Black – A Tribute to Johnny Cash	dualtone
Shelby Lynne	I Walk the Line	Cash Covered	MOJO
Marty Robbins	Big Iron	Artist’s Choice Johnny Cash	Sony
Johnny Cash	Hurt	American IV: The Man Comes Around	Lost Highway
John Doe & The Sadies	I Still Miss Someone	Country Club	Yep Roc Records
Kris Kristoffersen	Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again)	The Austin Sessions	Atlantic Records
Johnny Cash	Thirteen	American Recordings	American
Bob Dylan	Train of Love	Kindred Spirits – A Tribute to the Songs of Johnny Cash	Sony/BMG
Rev. Horton Heat	Get Rhythm	Dressed in Black – A Tribute to Johnny Cash	Dualtone
Rosie Flores	Big River	Dressed In Black – A Tribute to Johnny Cash	Dualtone
Michelle Shocked	One Piece at a Time	Cash Covered	MOJO
Roberta Flack	The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face	The Very Best of Roberta Flack	Rhino Atlantic
Hank Williams	Lovesick Blues	The Essential Hank Williams Collection: Turn Back The Years CD 2	Mercury Records
Mississippi John Hurt	Goodnight Irene	Cash Covered	MOJO
Johnny Cash	Sunday Morning Coming Down	The Essential Johnny Cash	Columbia/Legacy
The Highwaymen	Highwayman	Outlaws Super Hits	Columbia
Merle Haggard	I’m Leavin’ Now (With Johnny Cash)	Hag – The Best of Merle Haggard	capitol nashville
Reverend Horton Heat	Folsom Prison Blues	Holly Roller	sub pop
Glen Ayers	Sweet Love (With Red Simpson)	The Other Side of Bakersfield, Vol. 1 – 1950S & 60S Boppers and Rockers from ‘Nashville West’	Bear Family Records GmbH
Billy Mize	Solid Sender	The Other Side of Bakersfield, Vol. 1 – 1950S & 60S Boppers and Rockers from ‘Nashville West’	Bear Family Records GmbH
Vince Gill & Paul Franklin	Foolin’ Around	Bakersfield	MCA Nashville
Buck Owens	Act Naturally	21 #1 Hits: The Ultimate Collection	Rhino
Buck Owens	Love’s Gonna Live Here	21 #1 Hits: The Ultimate Collection	Rhino
Gary Paxton	Bummer	Bakersfield Rebels	Ace Records
Gilbeau & Parsons	You Gentle Ways Of Loving Me	Bakersfield Rebels	Ace Records
Ruby Dee & The Snakehandlers	Make it Last	North of Bakersfield	Dionysus

Show #146 – New Found Vinyl!

I recently made an excursion to Novato’s Watt’s Music and picked up some great vinyl.  Some “Bakersfield & Beyond” themed, others just because they struck a chord.  For the longest time, I’ve been meaning to get (and by get, purchase a digital download) a copy of the band Rank and File’s self-titled release.  But put it off, I would.  I had a note on my desk to remind myself.  “Rank and File” was the only thing written on the note.  I found myself, yesterday, flipping through old LPs with that certain old, vintage, musty smell and there it was – Rank and File!  It’s such a good album.  Formed by brothers Chip and Tony Kinman and including a very young looking Alejandro Escovedo, the band played a form of hopped up country that no one got at the time.  Sound familiar?  Hopped up country.  Bakersfield Sound influences far and wide and into punk rock circles.  In fact, the independence of the Bakersfield musicians and their wanting to do it their say is very punk rock.

I also found a copy of Elvis Costello’s “Almost Blue,” an album I owned in the early ’80s, but didn’t get at the time.  I get it now and it’s fantastic.  After these finds and some others, we decided to do an all vinyl show tonight and it was fun and sounded great (we think).

Seems that not much has changed in the music/radio industry from the time of this interview until now.

 

Artist	Cut	Album	Label
Tim Hus	Bakersfield Music	Bushpilot Buckaroo	Stony Plain Records
Rank And File	Amanda Ruth	Rank and File, Sundown	Slash Records
The Flying Burrito Brothers	Do Right Woman	The Gilded Palace of Sin	4 Men With Beards
Wynn Stewart	Sha Marie	The Songs of Wynn Stewart	Capitol Records
The Rolling Stones	Brown Sugar	Hot Rocks 1964-1971	ABKCO
The Rolling Stones	Wild Horses	Hot Rocks 1964-1971	ABKCO
Buck Owens	Heartbreak Mountain	Buck Owens’ Ruby & Other Bluegrass Specials	Capitol
Glen Campbell	Wichita Lineman	Wichita Lineman	Capitol Nashville
Elvis Costello	I’m Your Toy (Hot Burrito #1)	Almost Blue	Riviera Global Productions
Elvis Costello	Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down	Almost Blue	Riviera Global Productions
The Paladins	Keep on Lovin’ Me Baby	Let’s Buzz!	Alligator Records
Jan Brown	Louisville	A Town South of Bakersfield	Enigma
Dwight Yoakam	Waterfall	3 Pears	Warner Bros.
Dwight Yoakam	Dim Lights Thick Smoke	3 Pears	Warner Bros.
Jean Shephard	Under Your Spell Again	The Country & Western All-Star Round-Up	Capitol
Buck Owens	Act Naturally	The Best of Buck Owens	Capitol
Tanya Tucker	Delta Dawn	Country Hits	Jamada Digital
Merle Haggard	In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)	Mama Tried	Capitol Records
Rank And File	Rank and File	Rank and File, Sundown	Slash Records
Gary Stewart	Sweet-Tater and Cisco	You’re Not the Woman You Used to Be	MCA
Waylon Jennings	Only Daddy That’ll Walk the Line	The Best of Waylon Jennings	RCA
Katy Moffatt	Love and Only Love	A Town South Of Bakersfield	Enigma Records
Washboard Bill and the Melton Brothers	Ode to Joy	Washboard Bill and the Melton Brothers	?
Lone Justice	When Love Comes Home To Stay	This Is Lone Justice: The Vaught Tapes, 1983	Omnivore Recordings
The International Submarine Band	Luxury Liner	Safe At Home	Sundazed
Gene Clark	Echoes	Collector’s Series: Early L.A. Sessions	Colombia Records
The Byrds	Truck Stop Girl	The Byrds	Legacy/Columbia
Bob Dylan/The Band	Rainy Day Women – #12 & 35	Before the Flood, Live	Asylum Records
Buck Owens	Rain On Your Parade	Buck Owens, The Warner Bros. Recordings	Warner Bros
Ruby Dee & The Snakehandlers	Make it Last	North of Bakersfield	Dionysus