Podcasts · 10/09/2018
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
Podcasts · 10/09/2018
In this week's episode, we're featuring a labour of love from Laura Cash: "Awake But Dreaming" (2010). A fine collection of western swing and traditional country covers from this talented fiddler and Oregon native and one time daughter-in-law to the great Johnny Cash, this release is complemented wonderfully with well-chosen cameos. Fellow fiddlers The Quebe Sisters join in the fun on two cuts and Bobby Flores' excellent harmonies are all over this album; Jason Carter duets with Cash on a Benny
Podcasts · 10/09/2018
In this week's episode, we're featuring the twangy breakout album from David Ball, "Thinkin' Problem" (1994). After earning respect from countless musical quarters and partly kick-starting the alt-country movement from his time with Uncle Walt's Band in the 70s and 80s, David Ball was encouraged to move to Nashville and pursue country music after hearing Randy Travis on the radio in about 1986. Eight years later, including a false start with RCA Records - producer Blake Chancey liked what he hea
Podcasts · 10/08/2018
In this week's episode, we're featuring a landmark album in what would later become known as the western swing revivalist movement: Merle Haggard's sensational "My Tribute To The Best Damn Fiddle Player In The World (or, My Salute To Bob Wills)" (1970). Along with Jimmie Rodgers and Lefty Frizzell, Bob Wills was one of The Hag's primarily influences. A young Haggard even snuck out of his home at age 12 to go see Wills play at the famous Beardsley Ballroom, such was the influence from a very form
Podcasts · 10/08/2018
In this week's episode, we're featuring a great neo-traditional album from Tracy Byrd: "Love Lessons" (1995). Three albums in, a number one under his belt and some of the catchiest novelty songs of 90s country radio, Byrd had arrived. But Tracy Byrd was far more than detractors of the "Watermelon Crawl" might give him credit for - he had some geniune talent, a nice guy persona that always goes a long way in show biz and a very talented road band. Mark Nesler, the guitar picker in Byrd's "Only Wa
Podcasts · 10/08/2018
In this week's episode we're featuring the first in a trilogy of bluegrass albums that Dolly Parton released around the turn of the century: "The Grass Is Blue" (1999). After Decca Nashville closed their doors in 1998, Dolly found herself without a record deal for the first time in thirty years. She had talked about doing a legacy bluegrass project in the past, but now was the time. Teaming with Sugar Hill Records, she assembled some of the best pickers you can name, some well chosen covers and
Podcasts · 10/08/2018
In this week's episode, we're featuring the first album in nine years from Nashville transplant Bobby Marquez, "The Cowboy Way" (2018). Hailing from the deep south of Texas, he moved to Nashville in the late 90s to pursue the country music dream. Nicknamed "Smilin'" Bobby Marquez by WSM legend Keith Bilbrey, his positive attitude has come in handy since his move to Music City: signed to two major labels and dropped from both for reasons beyond his control, with some help from his wife and Texas
Podcasts · 10/08/2018
In this week's episode, we're featuring the fourth album from a staple at the legendary Broken Spoke Dancehall in Austin, TX - Weldon Henson, and his sensational "Honky Tonk Frontier" (2015). Henson and his band have held down the popular "Two-Steppin' Tuesday" slot at the Spoke for some time now, regularly packing in several hundred of Austin's best dancers. It's no surprise then, that his music is primed to dance to - telecaster and steel-driven original "Texas made honky tonk" as Weldon Henso
Podcasts · 08/03/2018
In this week's episode, we're celebrating an iconic label: Don Pierce's Starday Records. Formed in the early 50s by Lefty Frizzell's manager Jack Starns and Houston record distributor Pappy Daily (Starns + Dailey = Starday), they signed some of the best purveyors of hardcore honky tonk and traditional country, western, bluegrass and gospel music around at the time. Aften Don Pierce became label president, Starday's product was perfected. Known for their vivid and colourful album covers, featurin
Podcasts · 08/03/2018
In this week's episode, we're remembering a name that is too often left out of conversations about western swing: Jack Guthrie. Our feature album this week is Capitol's 1966 retrospective: "Jack Guthrie - His Greatest Songs", featuring twelve dynamite western swingers from his extremely short recording career (1944-1947). Born in Oklahoma in 1915 and a cousin to the famous Woody Guthrie, Jack's family moved around - the age of nineteen found him married on the West Coast, singing and entertaini