Country, Great albums, Great Concert, Johnny Cash, Music Calendar

Jan 13: Johnny Cash recorded “At Folsom Prison” in 1968

 

Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison

 “Hello, I’m Johnny Cash”

Johnny Cash recorded “At Folsom Prison” January 13 in 1968

“Folsom Prison looms large in Johnny Cash’s legacy, providing the setting for perhaps his definitive song and the location for his definitive album, At Folsom Prison. The ideal blend of mythmaking and gritty reality, At Folsom Prison is the moment when Cash turned into the towering Man in Black, a haunted troubadour singing songs of crime, conflicted conscience, and jail.”
~Stephen Thomas Erlewine (allmusic.com)

One of the best live albums in recording history was taped on this date in 1968, hell, it’s one of the best albums period. Today it is it’s 46 year anniversary.

Released May 1968
October 19, 1999 (re-release)
October 14, 2008 (Legacy Edition)
Recorded Live at Folsom State Prison, January 13, 1968
Genre Country
Length 55:56 (re-release)
Label Columbia
Producer Bob Johnston (original)
Bob Irwin (re-release)

Continue reading Jan 13: Johnny Cash recorded “At Folsom Prison” in 1968 →

Country, Music Calendar

Jan 12: The late Ray Price was born in 1926

rayprice

Ray Price has covered — and kicked up — as much musical turf as any country singer of the postwar era. He’s been lionized as the man who saved hard country when Nashville went pop, and vilified as the man who went pop when hard country was starting to call its own name with pride.

~Dan Cooper (allmusic.com)

The late Ray Price was born in 1926

He had a wonderful voice of the finest in country music!

Ray Price, the legendary country singer, sadly died 16. Dec in 2013 following his battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 87.

For The Good Times:

Continue reading Jan 12: The late Ray Price was born in 1926 →

Bob Dylan, Neil Young

Bass player Tim Drummond died today – Rest in Peace

4 Comments

bob dylan 1979
Tim Drummond with Dylan at Warfield in 1979

 

Bass player Tim Drummond died today –  Rest in Peace

Tim Drummond, born Timothy Lee Drummond, 20 April 1940, Bloomington, Illinois, USA was sadly reported dead today, January 11th. He played with a lot of great artists, Bob Dylan during “the Gospel Years”, Neil Young, Ry Cooder and James Browne among others. Drummond has co-written songs with many of the artists he has worked with, including: “Saved” (Bob Dylan), “Who’s Talking” (J.J. Cale), and “Down In Hollywood” (Ry Cooder). He often plays as part of the session rhythm duo Tim & Jim with drummer Jim Keltner.

Great musician, he will be missed.

Here are many videos from his fantastic performance with Bob Dylan in Toronto in 1980

Allmusic:
“He joined Brown’s band, touring with great players such as Jimmy Nolen and Maceo Parker in North America, Vietnam, Korea and Africa, but eventually quit. Drummond then moved to Nashville, playing sessions for blues and R&B singers including Joe Simon, Margie Hendricks, Fenton Robinson, and country artists including Ronnie Mislap, Jimmy Buffett, Doug Kershaw and Charlie Daniels. A meeting with Neil Young resulted in Drummond playing on Young’s highly successful Harvest, and touring as part of his Straygators backing group. Drummond moved to California, where he has become an in-demand session player, working with a stellar list of artists including Young, Bob Dylan (Slow Train Coming, Saved, Shot Of Love), Ry Cooder (Bop Till You Drop, The Slide Area, Borderline), J.J. Cale (Naturally, Travel Log, Anyway The Wind Blows), Crosby, Stills And Nash (CSN), Graham Nash (Wild Tales), the Beach Boys (16 Big Ones), John Mayall, Rick Danko, Don Henley (Building The Perfect Beast) and Jewel (Pieces Of You).”

Neil Young – Long May You Run (with Tim Drummond, MTV Unplugged):

Continue reading Bass player Tim Drummond died today – Rest in Peace →

Blues, Great albums, Howlin' Wolf

Jan 11: Howlin’ Wolf by Howlin’ Wolf – 1962

3 Comments


hw album

“Howlin’ Wolf’s second album brings together some of the blues great’s best singles from the late ’50s and early ’60s. Also available as a fine two-fer with his debut, Moanin’ in the Moonlight, the so-called Rockin’ Chair Album represents the cream of Wolf’s Chicago blues work. Those tracks afforded classic status are many, including “Spoonful,” “The Red Rooster,” “Wang Dang Doodle,” “Back Door Man,” “Shake for Me,” and “Who’s Been Talking?” Also featuring the fine work of Chess house producer and bassist Willie Dixon and guitarist Hubert Sumlin, Rockin’ Chair qualifies as one of pinnacles of early electric blues, and is an essential album for any quality blues collection.”
– Stephen Cook (Allmusic)

Continue reading Jan 11: Howlin’ Wolf by Howlin’ Wolf – 1962 →

Elvis Presley, Memphis, Stax, Sun

Elvis Presley recording history in Memphis

1 Comment
Elvis in the front yard of his home at 1034 Audubon Drive in May 1956
Elvis in the front yard of his home at 1034 Audubon Drive in Memphis – May 1956

–

Elvis Presley in front of Graceland in 1957
Elvis Presley in front of Graceland, Memphis – 1957

I’ll stay in Memphis.
~Elvis Presley

I’m visiting Memphis in a couple of weeks, so I will have put out some “Memphis related” post the next weeks.

–

Elvis was proud of his hometown and though most of his music was recorded in Nashville & Hollywood, some of his finest art was made in Memphis.

I’ve put together an overview of his Memphis recording session, embedded a couple of videos & made some best of lists (as usual).

–

But let’s first get started with his great version of Chuck Berry’s “Memphis, Tennessee“…. recorded in Nashville.

Recorded May 1963 at RCA’s Studio B. Nashville.

Content:

  1. The Sun years (1953-55)
  2. At American Sound Studio (1969)
  3. At STAX Studios (1973)
  4. Live (1974)
  5. The Jungle Room Sessions (Graceland 1976)

Continue reading Elvis Presley recording history in Memphis →