Right now I'm listening to ~GP~ with Emmylou Harris, recorded in 1972. I've been reading Ben Fong Torres's book about Gram Parsons, Hickory Wind, and during this time, including the year before when he met his singing pal, he tested her out with what he considered a difficult duet song (That's All It Took-pretty sure) by George Jones, Gene Pitney. Emmylou hit it out of the ballpark, and the rest his history. Just before this release, and according to the book, Gram and Merle Haggard hung out a bit for a possible collaboration, but like lots of GP projects, it fell apart. Sad too, because he had the potential and charm to seize the genre at the time and shake it up real good. Two disc one spins from a pair of Bear Family Boxes. The audio fidelity on these are remarkable. GP sounds quite good too.
I bought about 250 records of a living estate from the daughter in law of Homer Briarhopper. Homer was an artist that started in Charlotte radio before WWII and ended up in the Raleigh market doing a daily morning show for about 30 years. I got a ton of country and bluegrass albums and Gene Watson was evidently a favorite of he and / or his son. His son played drums on the morning show when he was a teen but ended up going into law enforcement instead of entertainment. There are several Watson albums and two Farewell Party Band albums signed by Gene. There was also a satin Gene Watson windbreaker signed on the inside liner but I didn't win that bid. Believe it or not there was a Homer Briarhopper stage suit that ended up selling for $550 and a guitar strap with photo of band showing Homer wearing the strap that unbelievably sold for $950!
"Step right up, come on in If you'd like to take the grand tour Of a lonely house that once was home sweet home I have nothing here to sell you Just some things that I will tell you Some things I know will chill you to the bone..."
Alton and Rabon Delmore learned shape note singing from their mother and an uncle. Bob Dylan was quoted in the Chicago Tribune, on November 10, 1985 as saying, "The Delmore Brothers, God, I really loved them! I think they've influenced every harmony I've ever tried to sing."
i dropped this the other day and can't get it out of my head. it's a m m m mel tills classic killed by faron. best version i know
and one more from one of his last GREAT LP"s "the rock". "i got everything" "i got my pad, i got my mouse, and there's 47 cousins living in my house" HA!
The Merle Haggard Box set is indispensable to me. I've wanted the George Jones box set ever since its release, but those Bear Family box sets are (understandably) so expensive. I wish I could afford many more of their wonderful box sets.
..and since just one from Mo & Joe ain't nearly enough. here's their classic "honky tonk queen". it's like the country version of the kinks "lola" HA!
i just dodged bumper to bumper traffic on the 101 westbound! thanks for reminding me of JJW! good call.
