Album Review: LeAnn Rimes – ‘Spitfire’

LeAnn Rimes’ chart fortunes have been wildly inconsistent since she emerged on the country scene as a 13-year old. Her turbulent private life has also exposed her to a great deal of public criticism in recent years with her romance with new husband Eddie Cibrian breaking up two existing marriages and the home of two small children. Her excellent Vince Gill-produced covers album reignited my interest in her as an artist, and now she returns with her first records of all-new material in some years. She wrote many of the songs with her co-producer and frequent collaborator Darrell Brown, and it is the most personal and honest material she has ever recorded. She acknowledges that on the album cover, giving it the subtitle “the truth, in no particular order”. In other words, it is effectively a concept album about her affair, divorce and remarriage – meaty reality-based material which makes it a rare example of its kind in today’s market. Musically it’s not as traditional as Lady And Gentlemen but it is recognizably country music, with breathing space for LeAnn’s vocals.

The best songs are the more reflective ones where she shows some self-awareness. Candid cheating songs used to be a staple of country music but have fallen out of favor in recent years. ‘Borrowed’ is a guilt-ridden cheating song set during the affair, this one addressed to her new lover and dealing with her jealousy of his wife.

The remorseful ballad ‘What Have I Done’ (perhaps the outstanding song on the album) addresses the wrong she has done to her first love, who is “not her last”. It is an excellent song with a beautiful melody, with Alison Krauss and Dan Tyminski adding harmonies and subtle steel and fiddle.

What have I done?
I broke the sweetest heart
Of the only man that’s ever loved me

I don’t know what I’ve become
I need to get back to where I’m from
Gotta smash every mirror in this empty house
Cause like you I don’t want to see myself
Oh, what have I done?

Both of these songs were released as singles late last year, but have failed to chart.

The haunting ‘Where I Stood’ (written by Australian AC singer-songwriter Missy Higgins) tackles the same theme, opening with the words “I don’t know what I’ve done” as she faces the loss of her husband and contemplates his finding someone new.

A heavy drumbeat leads into the less subtle ‘I Do Now’, which again addresses her cheating, but with less evident remorse, with LeAnn taking comfort in listening to Hank Williams and Merle Haggard but unfortunately not borrowing from them stylistically, instead going for a rock-influenced mid-tempo sound without much melody.

‘A Waste Is A Terrible Thing To Mind’ is another fine song written by LeAnn, as she ponders over her choices. It is one of the most traditional sounding songs on the album. Her diction is a bit muddy on this one (a problem she has sometimes suffered from in the past) so it takes some concentration to decipher the story, but it recounts the protagonist’s regret at separating from husband or lover:

I threw him out like the trash one night
The dumbest thing I’ve ever done
He was the best thing that I’ll ever find
Yeah, a waste is a terrible thing to mind

Darrell Brown contributed ‘Who We Really Are’ (a co-write with Sarah Buxton), a pretty ballad on which Leann’s vocals sound nice but again the words (about discovering oneself through the vicissitudes of love) are hard to make out.

The aggressive ‘Spitfire’ lets loose against a rival in love, and is a little spiteful, calling her rival not only a “dirty little liar” but a brainless one. It’s a brave choice as the album opener and title track as it doesn’t paint LeAnn in the best light and the obviously autobiographical nature of the material elsewhere makes this open to interpretation as a personal attack on her husband’s former wife, so making it the entry into the album could antagonize some listeners (but perhaps those most offended won’t be listening anyway, on principle?). Divorced from its likely context, it’s not a bad song in assertive vein.

She definitely addresses her husband’s ex-wife elsewhere, claiming to be ‘Just A Girl Like You’, acknowledging “he may break my heart too”, but I didn’t like this one much – it feels a bit disingenuous, there is far too much vocal noodling and the instrumentation has a slightly tinny feel. ‘You’ve Ruined Me’ also sounds a bit over-produced and over-wrought vocally.

Buddy and Julie Miller’s frenetic ‘Gasoline And Matches’ is done as a duet with rock singer Rob Thomas, and is quite entertaining, although it definitely leans more in the rock direction than country; rock guitarist Jeff Beck also guests. In the context of this album, it presumably reflects the passion wrought by her relationship with her new husband.

The equally fast-paced ‘You Ain’t Right’ written by Liz Rose with another husband-and-wife team, Chris Stapleton and Morgane Hayes, has a hardworking woman complaining about her layabout man’s lack of effort. It’s a good song, but lacks melody and feels out of place thematically.

I assume the judgmental ‘God Tales Care Of Your Kind’ is an older song as it was written with Leann’s ex-husband Dean Sheremet; it too seems a curious choice for this record unless she is addressing it to herself. Finally ‘Bottle’ is surprisingly bland for a Gary Burr tune.

It seems fairly clear that LeAnn’s personal life has caused a backlash against her music, and this album (apparently her last for Curb) will probably not get the radio play it needs to do well commercially. However, it is a serious artistic work rooted in real life. Perhaps a little too much so at times.

Grade: B+

Week ending 6/1/13: #1 songs this week in country music history

1953 (Sales): Mexican Joe — Jim Reeves (Abbott)

1953 (Jukebox): No Help Wanted — The Carlisles (Mercury)

1953 (Disc Jockeys): Your Cheatin’ Heart — Hank Williams (MGM)

1963: Lonesome 7-7203 — Hawkshaw Hawkins (King)

1973: Satin Sheets — Jeanne Pruett (MCA)

1983: You Take Me For Granted — Merle Haggard (Epic)

1993: I Love The Way You Love Me — John Michael Montgomery (Atlantic)

2003: I Believe — Diamond Rio (Arista)

2013: Cruise – Florida Georgia Line (Republic Nashville)

2013 (Airplay): Wagon Wheel — Darius Rucker (Capitol)

George Jones remembered

With the passing of George, all the radio heroes of my early childhood, except Ray Price, have gone from the scene. I can’t tell you exactly when I became cognizant of George Jones, as he seemed to have always been there. I remember radio playing songs such as “White Lightning”, “Who Shot Sam?”, “Don’t Stop The Music” , “Just One More” and You Gotta Be My Baby” during the 1950’s and liking the sound of the records, although not necessarily understanding what they were about.

I can tell you when I became a real fan of George Jones and when I started understanding what his music was about. In 1961 I turned nine years old and lived across the street from a kid whose father manifested all of the bad behavior that was revealed in George’s songs. While many sang “the endless ballads of booze and broads” in those less politically correct days, George brought a depth of emotion that few could achieve. But while many singers mined those same waters, few were also as good at singing of other matters such as love and faith. Let’s face it, George Jones could sing even the most mediocre and most maudlin songs with convincing sincerity, so when he had good material to work with, the results transcended what everyone else was doing.

For my money, the very best recordings George Jones ever recorded came during the 1960s. Yes, he became a more nuanced singer later, but he was already 98% at his nuanced peak and his voice was at its absolute peak.

During the 1950s George recorded for Starday and/or Mercury (there were some collaborative efforts between the two labels) and while there was considerable youthful enthusiasm there, the polish had not yet been applied. Towards the end of his run on Mercury a few songs were released that heralded the direction George was going – “The Window Up Above”, “She Thinks I Still Care”, “Tender Years”, and “You’re Still On My Mind”. These songs exhibited a little more careful production than was often the case and were far more introspective than the usual “ballads of booze and broads”. While “You’re Still On My Mind” was not released as a single until after George left Mercury (and accordingly received no promotional push) it was an impressive effort and earned the songwriter Luke McDaniel some additional money when the Byrds included it on their Sweetheart Of The Rodeo album.

I have said many times the 1960s were my favorite era for George Jones recordings. In 1961 George’s recordings started appearing on the United Artists label. While perhaps a bit heavy on the strings and vocal choruses, these recordings feature strong material and find George in fine voice throughout. This era kicked off with a magnificent single, “She Thinks I Still Care” b/w “Sometimes You Just Can’t Win” as the B side. The A side shot to #1 where it stayed for six weeks. I thought the song on the B side was the stronger song – and it proved its worth by shooting to #17. (A new recording of the song would reach the top ten in 1971 for Musicor, plus it would be covered by many other artists) . What better description can you have of despair than

Just when the suns shines the brightest
And the world looks alright again
Then the clouds fill the skies
You can’t believe your eyes
Sometimes you just can’t win

Week ending 4/13/13: #1 albums this week in country music history

1968: Buck Owens – It Takes People Like You (Capitol)

1973: Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandell – Dueling Banjos (Warner Brothers)

1978: Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson – Waylon & Willie (RCA Victor)

1983: Merle Haggard & Willie Nelson – Pancho & Lefty (Epic)

1988: K.T. Oslin – 80′s Ladies (RCA)

1993: Billy Ray Cyrus – Some Gave All (Mercury)

1998: Shania Twain – Come On Over (Mercury)

2003: Dixie Chicks – Home (Open Wide/Columbia)

2008: Taylor Swift – Taylor Swift (Big Machine)

2013: Blake Shelton – Based on a True Story (Warner Brothers)

Album Review: Clint Black – ‘One Emotion’

While it yielded five top 5 hit singles and was Clint’s fifth (and last) platinum album, 1994’s One Emotion is one of his least inspired, and as Clint served (as usual) as the writer or co-writer of every song no-one else can be blamed. Sadly, the one emotion I feel through almost all this album is boredom.

Lead single ‘Untanglin’ My Mind’ was a co-write with Merle Haggard, and is one of the few tracks to bear comparison with Clint’s best work. It is an excellent classic ballad about the painful aftermath of a failed relationship, with some tasteful fiddle supporting the wearied but accepting mood, and. It peaked at a respectable #4 and stands head and shoulders above everything else here:

I’m sure no one will wonder where I’ve gone to
But if anyone should ask from time to time
Tell them that you finally drove me crazy
And I’m somewhere untanglin’ my mind

Tell ‘em I won’t be ridin’, I’ll be walkin’
‘Cause I don’t think a crazy man should drive
Anyway, the car belongs to you now
Along with any part of me that’s still alive
But there’s really not much left you could hold onto
And if you did it wouldn’t last here anyway
It’d head to where the rest of me rolled onto
So even if I wanted to, I couldn’t stay

The blandly philosophical blues-imbued ‘Wherever You Go’ reached #3 but is less to my taste and while inoffensive, is not particularly insightful (the message is that you can’t escape your problems by running away).

‘Summer’s Comin’’ is rather boring but its cheerful feel propelled it to the top of the chart. Clint was obviously in a seasonal mood when writing this album because the later ‘A Change In The Air’ is about impending fall; this one sounds pleasantly mellow but lacks depth, although I prefer it to ‘Summer’s Comin’’. The one-two combination is redolent of a creative writing exercise and it’s not hard to suspect Clint was lacking inspiration generally at this point.

The incredibly boring title track unfortunately has nothing to recommend it but a pleasant background melody, but somehow almost made it to the #1 spot on the charts, topping out at #2.

The middle of the album is badly bogged down with a trio of particularly dull tracks. ‘Life Gets Away’ (amazingly a #4 hit single) and ‘I Can Get By’ are forgettable attempts at deep philosophical messages which are really just bland, obvious truisms. ‘Hey Hot Rod’ is a boring rocker featuring Clint’s trademark harmonica as its sole point of interest.

The swingy and well-played ‘You Walked By’ is quite enjoyable, and I liked it better than any of the singles apart from ‘Untanglin’ My Mind’. However, it leads into ‘You Made Me Feel’ written with blue-eyed soul man Michael McDonald, which is back to the dull and forgettable.

The CD version includes bonus tracks of Clint’s previous hits ‘A Good Run Of Bad Luck’ and Wynonna duet ‘A Bad Goodbye’.

The best one can say about most of the songs on this album is that they sound decent (something one almost took for granted in the early 90s but makes this album sound a lot better in today’s context), but the lyrics, while inoffensive, are oh so boring. Even at bargain basement used prices, this one is not worth it. Download ‘Untanglin’ My Mind’ and ‘You Walked By’ and skip the rest.

Grade: C-

Favorite Country Songs Of The 80s: Part 6

Here are some more songs from the 1980s that I liked and remember. See if you recall any of these records:

“Memory Machine“– Jack Quist
This 1982 song about a jukebox reached #52. I don’t know anything about Jack Quist other than that he originally was from Salt Lake City, but I am familiar with the song’s writer Ted Harris as he wrote such classics as “Paper Mansions” and “Crystal Chandeliers”.

“On Second Thought” – Eddie Rabbitt
Released in 1989, this song peaked at #1 in early 1990. This was Eddie’s most traditional sounding hit and my favorite of all of Eddie’s recordings.

“Don’t It Make Ya Wanna Dance” – Bonnie Raitt
This song was from the soundtrack of Urban Cowboy and reached #42.

“Right Hand Man” – Eddy Raven

Eddy had sixteen consecutive top ten records from 1984-1989. This song is my favorite although it only reached #3. Eddy would have five #1 records during the decade with “Joe Knows How To Live” and “Bayou Boys” being the biggest hits.

“She Got The Goldmine (I Got The Shaft)” - Jerry Reed
There are few artists that could get away with recording a song with such a title but Jerry Reed was that one of a kind who could. The song reached #1 in 1982, one of Jerry’s few #1 records. There are those who consider Jerry to have been the best guitar player ever (Chet Atkins among them). Jerry passed away a few years ago perhaps depriving the genre of its greatest all-around talent.

Album Review – Clint Black – ‘No Time To Kill’

By the time Clint Black released his fourth album No Time To Kill, he had finally gotten his career on track after his multiple court appearances and delayed third album The Hard Way. He once again turned to producer James Stroud and watched his career elevate to an even higher level.

A duet with then red-hot Wynonna Judd entitled “A Bad Goodbye” was the album’s first single, peaking at #2 in summer 1993. A string-laced piano ballad, it marked Black’s first foray into a slicker sound but didn’t compromise his artistic integrity. I quite like this one, mostly due to the track’s understated nature and the pair’s equally strong vocal performances.

As if to prove Black hadn’t gone pop, RCA Nashville followed up with the title track, another top 5 hit. “No Time to Kill” was a play on words with the title of his debut record, although the similarities between the two songs end there. “No Time to Kill” introduced Black’s jam band tendencies and brought the energy of his electric stage show to an album for the first time. The liveliness of the track is infectious, and I love the mix of drums, fiddle, and dobro throughout.

Possibly my favorite single from No Time to Kill is “State of Mind,” which rightfully went to #2 in the fall of 1993. I love everything about this song from the use of harmonica on the intro to the fiddle that welcomes you about a minute in. It’s just an all around feel good song, which is surprising given the subject matter (a man on the mend from a bad relationship).

The album’s sole number one hit (and another favorite of mine) came from “A Good Run of Bad Luck,” a gambling themed number also featured on the soundtrack to the movie Maverick starring Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster. Like “No Time To Kill,” “A Good Run of Bad Luck” perfectly echoes Black’s energy on stage, which made the number perfect for playing live.

The only odd single choice from No Time To Kill is “Half The Man,” which peaked at #4 in 1994. There’s nothing wrong with the song, although the neo-traditional arrangement is a crutch for Black to regress a little. He doesn’t bring anything fresh to this type of song and it probably only received airplay thanks to Black’s popularity at the time. Much better is the Western Swing meets Bluegrass influenced “Tuckered Out,” which peaked at #74 due to unsolicited airplay. The high-energy number shows another side to Black’s musical persona, and it’s far more sonically interesting than “Half The Man,” which is more forgettable than anything else.

Of the remaining songs, “I’ll Take Texas” plays up Black’s Merle Haggard influence both sonically and vocally while “Back To Back” is an excellent mid-tempo number driven by dobro. I can’t say the same for the remaining two as “Thinkin’ Again” and “Happiness Alone” are boring neo-traditional numbers that lack the spark Black brought to his earlier work in that vein. But No Time To Kill is a fantastic album overall and a true standout from a singer/songwriter unwilling to forgo taking risks. It’s worthwhile addition to the collection of any true country fan.

Grade: A 

Week ending 2/23/13: #1 singles this week in country music history

1953 (Sales): Kaw-Liga – Hank Williams (MGM)

1953 (Jukebox): I Let The Stars Get In My Eyes — Goldie Hill (Decca)

1953 (Disc Jockeys): No Help Wanted — The Carlisles (Mercury)

1963: Don’t Let Me Cross Me Over — Carl Butler & Pearl (Columbia)

1973: I Wonder If They Ever Think Of Me — Merle Haggard (Capitol)

1983: Faking Love – T.G. Sheppard and Karen Brooks (Warner Bros./Curb)

1993: Can I Trust You With My Heart — Travis Tritt (Warner Bros.)

2003: The Baby — Blake Shelton (Warner Bros.)

2013: Wanted – Hunter Hayes (Atlantic)

2013 (Airplay): Better Dig Two — The Band Perry (Republic Nashville)

Album Review: Martina McBride – ‘Timeless’

Timeless

By 2005 Martina McBride’s music had seemingly progressed further and further away from her country roots. She showed she had not forgotten those roots by recording a classic covers album. Tt was received enthusiastically by her fans – in fact she achieved her highest ever first-week sales with this release, and the album was ultimately a platinum seller despite poor radio support.

The prospect of one of the finest and most naturally gifted country singers of her generation tackling great songs with mostly more traditional country arrangements was mouthwatering. There was also an exceptionally generous number of tracks – the standard US edition boasted 18 songs, with four added tracks on the European version. The vocals, as expected, are impeccable, and the beautifully realised arrangements are reverent recreations of the originals – but that is really the main criticism that the album faces – some critics complained that Martina was too faithful to the original versions and brought too little new. Martina had co-produced some of her earlier albums, but produced this one solo.

The lead single was Lynn Anderson’s signature song ‘Rose Garden’, which made it into the top 20 for Martina. This was probably a poor choice as it is one of the more dated sounding tracks with an efficient but somewhat anonymous vocal, and a timeless sounding ballad with more emotional weight would have been a more comfortable fit for Martina’s fans and country radio; my feeling is that this single choice set the tone for the album’s under-performance at radio., which was unfortunate.

The second, and much better, single was a beautiful version of ‘I Still Miss Someone’, with Dolly Parton harmonising. Unfortunately I think the poor showing of ‘Rose Garden’ meant radio had no enthusiasm for another cover, and it peaked at #50, but had this been the first release, I suspect it would have done better.

Another highlight comes with the beautiful, measured melancholy of Martina’s version of the Haggard classic ‘Today I Started Loving You Again’, where she brings out the sadness of the song’s emotion, and does succeed in making it her own (and entirely convincing). This is one of the finest moments of Martina’s career from an artistic viewpoint, and really deserved wider dissemination. ‘Help Me Make It Through The Night’ and Tammy Wynette’s ‘Til I Can Make It On My Own’ are also exqusitely done with sensitively interpreted vocals and subtle interpretations.

A pensive ‘I Can’t Stop Loving You’ recalls the Nashville Sound with its dated backing vocals but lovely steel in the arrangement. Martina’s emotional vocal is one of her best performances, but this is a case where fidelity to the original version was unwise (because the strings overwhelm it towards the end).

The very authentic steel-heavy treatment of the Hank Williams classic ‘You Win Again’ is the most traditional Martina has ever been, with an arrangement identical to the original. What she does bring of her own to the performance, is a sensitive, believable vocal which works well.

Martina brings some personality to a perky ‘I’ll Be There’, backed up by Dan Tyminski and Rhonda Vincent. ‘You Ain’t Woman Enough’ (the third single) is confident and sassy but lightweight compared to Loretta Lynn’s original. Similarly, ‘Once A Day’ is fine, but not as good as Connie Smith’s peerless original and Martina does not convince the hearer of her emotional meltdown here. ‘Pick Me Up On Your Way Down’ and a brisk take on ‘Thanks A Lot’ also sound a bit too upbeat for the material.

‘Love’s Gonna Live Here Again’ isn’t bad but feels a little characterless vocally. ‘Heartaches By The Number’ is more successful, sung with great energy and characteristic harmonies from Dwight Yoakam. ‘Satin Sheets’ boasts another excellent performance from Martina.

‘I Don’t Hurt Anymore’ (one of the less remembered songs today, it was a massive hit in the 50s for Hank Snow, staying at #1 for over 20 weeks) is done well, with a bright, liquid vocal and attractive melody. ‘Make The World Go Away’ is nicely done (but pales compared to the most recent version of the song by Jamey Johnson and Alison Krauss).

Smoothly and sweetly sung, Buddy Holly’s ‘True Love Ways’ is rather reminiscent of some of Patsy Cline’s more sophisticated pop work from her later career; it seems rather a shame, in retrospect that Martina didn’t pick one of Patsy’s signature songs because I feel they would have suited her really well.

The European release included four bonus tracks. ‘Dreaming My Dreams With You’ has a very pretty piano-led arrangement and gentle, melodic vocal. An understated take on ‘Crying Time’ loaded with steel is very fine indeed, and I also enjoyed Martina’s version of ‘Take These Chains From My Heart’. The cheating song ‘Walk On By’ rounds out the selection with another fine performance.

Lack of originality aside, this album features great songs sung extremely well by a very fine singer, and is well worth catching up with, but get the European release if you can for the added material.

Grade: A

Week ending 1/19/13: #1 singles this week in country music history

1953 (Sales): Jambalaya (On The Bayou) — Hank Williams (MGM)

1953 (Jukebox): Back Street Affair — Webb Pierce (Decca)

1953 (Disc Jockeys): Back Street Affair — Webb Pierce (Decca)

1963: The Ballad of Jed Clampett – Flatt & Scruggs (Columbia)

1973: She’s Got To Be A Saint — Ray Price (Columbia)

1983: Going Where The Lonely Go — Merle Haggard (Epic)

1993:  Somewhere Other Than The Night — Garth Brooks (Liberty)

2003: 19 Somethin’ – Mark Wills (Mercury)

2013: Cruise – Florida Georgia Line (Republic Nashville)

2013 (Airplay): Goodbye In Her Eyes — Zac Brown Band (Southern Ground/Atlantic)

Country Heritage: Jack Greene

Although I had listened to country music for many years and had occasionally been able to purchase a 45 rpm or two, the summer of 1968 was the first time I had a summer job and was able to purchase records on a regular basis. My place of work, the Beach Theater on Atlantic Avenue in Virginia Beach, was about a thirty second walk away from a record store that carried a good supply of country 45s. Although I quickly switched over to collecting albums, my first purchase that summer was the Jack Greene single “Love Takes Care of Me,” a song which remains one of my all-time favorites. In fact, I had the lyrics of the song memorized by the time I’d heard it twice.

Jack Greene was born on January 7, 1930, in Maryville, Tennessee. From there he moved to Atlanta where he performed for a number of years before moving to Nashville in 1959, where he formed his own band — The Tennessee Mountain Boys, serving as drummer and lead singer. Jack’s big break came in 1961 when his band opened for Ernest Tubb. Jack Drake, Ernest’s bass player and band leader, noticed Greene’s talents and auditioned him for the band (Greene told Tubb biographer Ronnie Pugh that his knowledge of diesel mechanics may have played into the hiring decision as well). For the next few years, he was a drummer, guitarist, vocalist, and front man for the Texas Troubadours.

Before long, he was playing guitar and singing as an opener for Tubb, who believed in promoting his band members’ careers. Various members of Tubb’s band received occasional spots on his albums and he also had the band record several albums of their own on Decca. In 1964, Jack released his first solo record on Decca with “The Last Letter,” which was followed by “Don’t You Ever Get Tired of Hurtin’ Me” in 1965 (the Ray Price version, released at the same time received most of the radio spins). Jack’s first Top 40 hit came in early 1966 with “Ever Since My Baby Went Away.” Later that same year, while still a member of the Texas Troubadours, he released his career-making record with the Dallas Frazier composition “There Goes My Everything.”

To say it was just a hit would be understating it considerably. The song stayed on top of the Billboard country chart for 7 weeks and crossed over onto the pop charts. The album of the same name stayed #1 for 9 weeks. The song and the singer won single of the year, song of the year, male vocalist and album of the year awards at the First Annual Country Music Association awards in 1967, as well as numerous BMI, Billboard and Cash Box awards. The song also generated a pop cover in 1967 by Engelbert Humperdinck that went top twenty pop in the USA and reached #2 in the UK. Elvis Presley recorded the song in 1971 and had a top ten country hit, as well.

Jack, by now on his own as a solo performer, continued rolling in 1967 with another #1 record, “All The Time” (on top for 5 weeks), and a #2 hit (#1 on Cash Box) with “What Locks The Door.” He also became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1967.

In 1968, he enjoyed a #1 single with “What Locks The Door” and a #4 (#3 Cashbox) with “Love Takes Care of Me.” The year 1969 saw more of the same. “Until My Dreams Come True” and “Statue of A Fool” (possibly his best remembered song today) reached #1, and “Back In The Arms of Love” went to #4. It was that year he began a professional association with Jeannie Seely, which saw the release of a number of duet singles, and roughly a decade of joint stage shows. The first single, “Wish I Didn’t Have To Miss You,” was released in late 1969 and reached #1 on Record World, #2 on Billboard but only #9 on Cash Box.

In 1970, Jack recorded a song that I regard as his masterpiece — the Dallas Frazier penned “Lord Is That Me.” In retrospect, the song was a career killer. The hedonistic late ’60s to early ’70s saw radio stations shy away from music with overtly religious themes. Where Kristofferson’s 1973 hit “Why Me” was a very positive and uplifting song and can be appreciated in a secular context, “Lord Is That Me” is a song of despair and foreboding:

I can see a long line of cars with their headlights on
I can see kinfolks cryin’ cause somebody’s gone
Then they gather around as they let the sinner men down
I can see an old preacher prayin’ there with a frown

Chorus
Lord is that me, tell you bout this vision I see
Lord is that me, if it is have mercy have mercy on me

Many radio stations wouldn’t play the song, or would only play it if specifically requested by a caller. Our esteemed colleague Ken Johnson also noted that the song was roughly four minutes long in an era in which country songs rarely ran over three minutes.

Although Jack was coming off a run of nine consecutive top 4 records, after “Lord Is That Me” he never again had a top ten record. Even great songs like 1970’s “The Whole World Comes To Me,” 1971’s “There’s A Whole Lot About A Woman (A Man Don’t Know)” and 1973’s “I Need Somebody Bad” stalled outside the top ten. All three could have been top five records had they been recorded and released before “Lord Is That Me.” By the end of Jack’s Decca/MCA tenure he had charted twenty-nine times with seventeen records reaching the top twenty. It should be noted that recordings are typically purchased by younger listeners with chart success following the same dynamic. In 1970 Jack Greene was forty years old and looked even older.

Jack left Decca/MCA after 1975, quit recording for a few years and then emerged on Frontline Records in 1980 where he had a few minor chart placements. In 1983-1984 he had a few more minor hits for Step One Records.

Since then, he has continued to record occasionally — mostly self-produced albums or for reissue/remake labels such as Gusto. His focus largely has been on gospel music and most of his gospel albums have been available on CD at one time or another. Jack, a lifelong Christian, had Dallas Frazier recast his biggest hit into “He Is My Everything” and often segues from “There Goes My Everything” into “He Is My Everything” in his live performances.

Now 82 years old, Jack rarely performs anymore due to declining health. When he does perform it is mostly on the Grand Ole Opry. When he came to the now-defunct Florida Sunshine Opry (Eustis, FL) as recently as 2008 he was still in very good voice. He has a website where you can catch up with him. His newest album is available for sale there, as well as a thousand-plus photographs for your viewing enjoyment.

Week ending 1/5/13: #1 albums this week in country music history

1968: Eddy Arnold – Turn The World Around (RCA)

1973: Merle Haggard – The Best of the Best of Merle Haggard (Capitol)

1978: Dolly Parton – Here You Come Again (RCA)

1983: Alabama – Mountain Music (RCA)

1988: Randy Travis – Always & Forever (Warner Brothers)

1993: Garth Brooks – The Chase (Capitol)

1998: Garth Brooks – Sevens (Capitol)

2003: Shania Twain – Up! (Mercury)

2008: The Eagles – Long Road Out of Eden (Lost Highway)

2013: Taylor Swift – Red (Big Machine)

Week ending 12/29/12: #1 albums this week in country music history

1967: Eddy Arnold – Turn The World Around (RCA)

1972: Merle Haggard – The Best of the Best of Merle Haggard (Capitol)

1977: Dolly Parton – Here You Come Again (RCA)

1982: Alabama – Mountain Music (RCA)

1987: Randy Travis – Always & Forever (Warner Brothers)

1992: Garth Brooks – The Chase (Capitol)

1997: Garth Brooks – Sevens (Capitol)

2002: Shania Twain – Up! (Mercury)

2007: The Eagles – Long Road Out of Eden (Lost Highway)

2012: Taylor Swift – Red (Big Machine)

Razor X’s Top Albums of 2012

Finding good new country music is not as easy as it once was, and due to a number of other things that were going on in my life, I’m afraid I didn’t put much effort into seeking out new music this year but I was able to find a few gems:

10. Heroes – Willie Nelson

Willie’s return to the major labels was an eclectic collection that found him covering Coldplay and Pearl Jam, but also reunited him with Merle Haggard and Ray Price, as well as sharing the spotlight a bit with his sons Lukas and Micah.

9. Home – Dierks Bentley

2010′s Up On The Ridge was successful critically but not commercially, so it’s not surprising that Dierks chose to follow it up with a much more radio-friendly collection. The strategy worked, as Home produced three # 1 singles.

8. Nashville, Volume 1: Tear The Woodpile Down — Marty Stuart

Not quite the masterpiece that 2010′s Ghost Train was, this collection was still one of my favorite listens of the year. I would have rated it higher if it hadn’t contained some recycled material (“Sundown In Nashville”, “Truck Driver’s Blues”).

7. 100 Proof – Kellie Pickler

I never thought that Kellie Picker’s name would ever appear on any of my best of lists, but she really blossomed with this collection of more traditional-sounding tunes. Unfortunately, just as she was finally making music that allowed her to be taken seriously as an artist, she was dropped by her record label. What the future holds for her remains to be seen. There was a time when I would have said that she wouldn’t be missed very much, but now I’m curious to see what direction she goes in next.

6. Calling Me Home — Kathy Mattea

I wasn’t a huge fan of 2008′s Coal, but I like Kathy’s second visit to her Appalachian roots much better. This is a less bleak look at her heritage.

5. Uncaged – Zac Brown Band

Creepy cover art aside, this collection allowed the Zac Brown Band to further expand on their increasing eclectic but always interesting catalog.

4. Thirty Miles West — Alan Jackson

There weren’t any real surprises or stretches in Alan’s EMI Nashville debut; it’s very much in the same vein as most of the other albums he’s released over the past twenty-odd years — which is exactly what country music needs right now.

3. Classic – Terri Clark

Terri Clark and I were born just a few weeks apart, so we grew up listening to much of the same music. This collection, in which she covers tunes by Linda Ronstadt, Loretta Lynn, Merle Haggard, Reba McEntire and Tanya Tucker, provided a wonderful trip down memory lane and is the best album of her career.

2. Restless – Sweethearts of the Rodeo

This long overdue new release was well worth the wait. It’s a shame that it won’t be as widely heard as it deserves.

1. Living For A Song – A Tribute to Hank Cochran — Jamey Johnson

By the time I was three tracks into listening to this album for the first time, I knew it was my favorite of the year. It’s a beautifully crafted masterpiece with an impressive guest roster that pays homage to one of the greatest country songwriters of all time. I can’t say enough good things about this album.

Week ending 12/15/12: #1 albums this week in country music history

 1967: Eddy Arnold – Turn The World Around (RCA)

1972: Merle Haggard – The Best of the Best of Merle Haggard (Capitol)

1977: Elvis Presley – Elvis In Concert (RCA)

1982: Alabama – Mountain Music (RCA)

1987: Randy Travis – Always & Forever (Warner Brothers)

1992: Garth Brooks – The Chase (Capitol)

1997: Garth Brooks – Sevens (Capitol)

2002: Shania Twain – Up! (Mercury)

2007: The Eagles – Long Road Out of Eden (Lost Highway)

2012: Taylor Swift – Red (Big Machine)

Occasional Hope’s Top Albums of 2012

It’s not been a bad year for country music – as long as you ignore the charts and mainstream country radio. My #1 album of the year was released on a major label but with no singles success, and most of my other selections came from independent labels, although some of the names will be familiar. Just missing the cut were, among others, albums from Joey + Rory (some delicious moments but more hit and miss than their previous efforts), Terri Clark’s classic covers, the always reliable Alan Jackson, Kathy Mattea, and current star Dierks Bentley.

For full reviews, and purchase details, click on the links in the album title and artist name respectively.

10. Alive At Brushy Mountain Penitentiary – Mark Collie

The live prison album was recorded in 2001, but only escaped the vaults of MCA this year. It was worth the wait, with an energetic set of suitably themed mainly original songs.

Best tracks: ‘I Could’ve Gone Right’, ‘Rose Covered Garden’, ‘Maybe Mexico’, ‘On The Day I Die‘.

9. Southern Roots And Branches: Yesterday and Today – Marty Raybon

Former Shenandoah lead singer Marty Raybon released a pair of albums this year. This, the secular one of the pair, was the better, with Marty’s smoky voice sounding as good as ever on a bluegrass influenced set including the odd reworking of a few Shenandoah hits.

Best tracks: ‘Long Hard Road’, ‘Big Pain’, ‘Ghost In This House’, ‘Get Up In Jesus’ Name’.

8. Honky Tonk Till I Die – Eric Strickland and the B Sides

Solidly enjoyable, unpretentious honky-tonk with some great original songs written by the North Carolinian lead singer. It may be obscure, but it’s really good.

Best tracks: ‘Haggard And Hell’, ‘Freedom’, ‘Standing In The Headlights’, ‘Womankind‘.

7. Country Enough – Wesley Dennis

An excellent return from one of the best singers who never made it. The former Mercury Records artist has a classic country voice and has written some fine songs for this independent releases.

Best tracks: ‘A Month Of Sundays’, ‘Lady’s Choice’, ‘That Dog Won’t Hunt’, ‘Sun, Surf And The Sand (And My Ties)‘.

6. The Time Jumpers – The Time Jumpers

The part-time supergroup featuring Vince Gill and Dawn Sears came up with a delightful confection of country, jazz and western swing for their first studio alum together. The musicianship sparkles and this is a real celebration of the joy of making music.

Best tracks: ‘So Far Apart’, ‘Three Sides To Every Story’, ‘The Woman Of My Dreams’, ‘Someone Had To Teach You’.

5. Best Of The Best – Gene Watson

I wasn’t sure whether to include this album in my list but in the end the quality shone through and I had to keep it in. A veteran star who still has the vocal goods to shame most of his younger, more commercially successful rivals, Gene Watson has chosen to revisit some of his best-loved recordings for this release. I would really have preferred new material from him, but this is just a lovely listening experience.

Best tracks: ‘Farewell Party’, ‘What She Don’t Know Won’t Hurt Her’, ‘Nothing Sure Looked Good On You’, ‘Between This Time And The Next Time’.

4. Pourin’ Whiskey On Pain – Tim Culpepper

The unknown newcomer gave me my most pleasant surprise this year with his traditional sound and some excellent songs.

Best tracks: ‘One More For The Road’, ‘When Misery Finds Company’, ‘Pourin’ Whiskey On Pain’, ‘Toss And Turn’.

3. AM Country Heaven – Jason Eady

I called this a “low-key delight” when I reviewed it earlier this year, and my judgment stands. This mature thoughtful record has no weak spots at all. Patty Loveless duetting on one track is an unexpected bonus.

Best tracks (though everything is worth hearing): ‘AM Country Heaven’, ‘Man On A Mountain’ (with Patty Loveless), ‘Water Into Wine’, ‘Old Guitar And Me’.

2. Too Much Ain’t Enough – Clinton Gregory

Sweet voiced singer/fiddler Clinton Gregory is back after years of silence with a lovely set of mainly sad songs.

Best tracks: ‘Too Much Ain’t Enough’, ‘Too Country For Nashville’, ‘Has Love Taken Its Toll?’, ‘Chase Away The Lonely’.

1. Living For A Song: A Tribute To Hank Cochran – Jamey Johnson

It was obvious as soon as I listened to this album that it was going to be this year’s highlight. Songs by one of the greatest country songwriters ever, performed by Jamey Johnson and some of his friends including legends like Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Ray Price and Emmylou Harris, and more recent stars like Lee Ann Womack, Ronnie Dunn and George Strait. From the exquisite opening notes of ‘Make The World Go Away’, with Alison Krauss’s angelically sweet counterpoint to Jamey’s gruff tenderness, every single song here is a gem, and almost every track is excellent. This really is an outstanding album.

Best tracks: hard to pin down, but if I must then ‘Would These Arms Be In Your Way’ solo; ‘Make The World Go Away’ with Alison Krauss; ‘You Wouldn’t Know Love’ with Ray Price; and ‘Don’t Touch Me’ with Emmylou Harris.

Week ending 12/8/12: #1 albums this week in country music history

 1967: Eddy Arnold – Turn The World Around (RCA)

1972: Merle Haggard – The Best of the Best of Merle Haggard (Capitol)

1977: Elvis Presley – Elvis In Concert (RCA)

1982: Alabama – Mountain Music (RCA)

1987: Randy Travis – Always & Forever (Warner Brothers)

1992: Garth Brooks – The Chase (Capitol)

1997: Shania Twain – Come On Over (Mercury)

2002: Shania Twain – Up! (Mercury)

2007: Garth Brooks – The Ultimate Hits (Pearl)

2012: Taylor Swift – Red (Big Machine)

Razor X’s Top Singles of 2012

Every year it seems that it becomes more difficult to compile a list of the year’s top singles. I seldom listen to country radio anymore and as such I’ve become much more album oriented and barely aware of which songs on my favorite albums were actually released as singles. However, I have managed to identify a few bright spots in a genre that is still sadly headed in the wrong direction. Here are my favorite choices of 2012:

10. 5-1-5-0 — Dierks Bentley
Though not as good as his previous single “Home”, which made my list of 2011′s top singles, the title of this catchy number refers to the section of the California Welfare and Institutions Code which allows law enforcement officers to involuntarily confine individuals with mental disorders. In the case of the narrator of this story, it is his love interest who is making him crazy.

9. Neon — Chris Young
Songs paying homage to one’s favorite watering hole have long been a staple in country music, but this tune by the best of country music’s current crop of male vocalists does it in a fresh and interesting way, comparing the colors of the bar’s neon signs to the blue of a Wyoming sky, the red of a Santa Fe sunset, and the yellow of Texas sunflowers. It underperformed on the charts, peaking at a disappointing #23.

8. Marry Me — Martina Bride featuring Pat Monahan
It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to get excited about anything Martina McBride has done, but I was pleasantly surprised by this cover version of a hit for the group Train. Given country radio’s current pop leanings I expected this one to perform well on the charts, but it stalled at #45.

7. Diamonds Make Babies — Bradley Gaskin
I prefer Dierk Bentley’s version of this tune that delves into the six degrees of separation between engagement and parenthood, but it’s a fun song no matter who sings it.

6. Love Is A Rose — Terri Clark
If I were compiling a list of this sort a decade ago, it would have been inconceivable that the vast majority of my selections would be by male vocalists. Terri Clark is one of the few females who has released anything that I found remotely interesting this year. Sixteen years after she topped the charts with “Poor, Poor, Pitiful Me”, Clark shows that she can still wrap her vocal cords around a Linda Ronstadt tune. Unfortunately, Terri’s record is unlikely to get any chart action in the U.S., but hopefully it will gain some traction in Canada.

5. Living For A Song– Jamey Johnson featuring Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Kris Kristofferson and Hank Cochran
The capstone of Johnson’s magnficient tribute album to one of country music’s greatest songwriters finds him joining forces with legends Nelson, Haggard and Kristofferson, and the late Hank Cochran himself. Predictably, it was ignored by country radio.

4. No Hurry — Zac Brown Band
I really liked everything that the Zac Brown Band released this year and was tempted to include all three of their single releases but that seemed like taking the lazy way out. “No Hurry”, which peaked at #2 early this year, is my favorite of the bunch.

3. Loving You Is Fun — Easton Corbin
This laid back tune, which I reviewed back in February, reminds me of the type of song Clint Black used to do in the 90s. Country music needs more artists like Easton Corbin.

2. So You Don’t Have To Love Me Anymore — Alan Jackson
Alan’s second single under a new deal with EMI Nashville is well written and impeccably performed but unfortunately, it did nothing to reverse his chart decline. The production and his vocal performance are nicely understated.

1. Drinkin’ Man — George Strait
After phoning it in for the past couple of years, George Strait came back in a big way with this tune about a lifelong struggle with alcoholism. He tackles the topic in a straightforward and effective manner, never becoming maudlin or preachy. He co-wrote the song with his son Bubba and Dean Dillon. It stands in stark contrast with most of the fluff on country radio — or at least it would have had it received more airplay. It stalled at #37, which is nothing short of tragic because it likely means that the major labels will not be inclined to release material like this in the future. But even though it is the lowest charting single of Strait’s long and illustrious career, it is an artistic triumph.

Week ending 12/1/12: #1 albums this week in country music history

1967: Eddy Arnold – Turn The World Around (RCA)

1972: Merle Haggard – The Best of the Best of Merle Haggard (Capitol)

1977: Elvis Presley – Elvis In Concert (RCA)

1982: Alabama – Mountain Music (RCA)

1987: Randy Travis – Always & Forever (Warner Brothers)

1992: Garth Brooks – The Chase (Capitol)

1997: Shania Twain – Come On Overs (Mercury)

2002: Dixie Chicks – Home (Sony)

2007: Garth Brooks – The Ultimate Hits (Pearl)

2012: Taylor Swift – Red (Big Machine)

Album Review: Eric Strickland and the B Sides – ‘Honky Tonk Till I Die’

These days it seems easier to find excellent country records on independent labels than on major ones. North Carolina’s Eric Strickland and his band the B Sides produce tightly played solid honky-tonk music with a slight outlaw edge, which is highly enjoyable throughout. There is no fiddle, but plenty of steel. But what lifts their album above others of the kind is the excellent songwriting (all of which comes courtesy of lead singer and guitarist Strickland).

The title track is a defiant celebration of the joys of the honky-tonk life despite its health implications. ‘Standing In The Headlights’ is a fine and thoughtful song about the struggles of life as a musician, which has a lot of appeal:

Just cause I’m from nothing don’t mean I’m nothing

A small town boy with big town dreams

Chasin’ rainbows neath the neon

Ain’t as easy it seems

You put your heart into the music

You pour your soul into your songs

Then you realize they just don’t get it

And you’re out there all alone

‘My First Love’ is also good, with fond memories about growing up with the love of country music leading into a career as a musician. It leads into the hidden track ‘Drinking Whiskey’, a regretful steel-laced contemplation of a lost love, where drink doesn’t erase the memory.

The dark ‘Freedom’ is excellent, a steel-loaded, downbeat portrait of a man in the most intense despair, and on the verge of, perhaps, suicide:

He sits on the edge of a bed by the window watching the world go by

Nobody knows just how close he is to the end of his life

Holding a picture of a woman he loves in his shaking hands

He once quit drinking

But today he’s been thinking

About starting again

And it’s hard to keep on pretending

That the pain ain’t real any more

There’s just enough time to share all his feelings

Before freedom comes knocking on his door

He stares at the phone on the nightstand beside him

Wondering who he could call

But no one can help this fight with himself

So he throws it against the wall

He picks up a pen and writes her a letter

Explaining it all

There’ll be no more crying over all of her lying

Cause the hammer will soon fall

And it’s hard to keep on pretending

That the pain ain’t real any more

There’s just enough time to share all his feelings

Before freedom comes knocking on his door

Just as good is the outstanding ‘Haggard And Hell’, which with more agonized steel places the heartbroken protagonist at a crossroads.

While it is the least distinguished song here, ‘Her’ is an okay love song about a nice girl in love with a man who happily admits he is ‘tattooed white trash, I’m a real low-life’ – but can’t be as bad as he paints himself, given the unquestioning support of his loved one. The sardonic ‘Womankind’ has a more jaundiced approach verging on misogyny after the protagonist falls for a heartless beauty:

Woman, kind?

No, I don’t think so

She broke my heart and left me here to die

It’s not right, but she done me like she wants to

I’m sorry if I don’t believe in woman kind

I also enjoyed ‘Shine Down On Me’, with snatches of harmonica. The protagonist works a dead-end job for not much reward with no obvious end in sight, but retains an optimistic outlook on life.

There are a couple of trucking songs neatly sequenced together two-thirds of the way through the set list. ‘18 Wheels Of Hell On The Highway’ is fairly standard fare reminiscent of the genre’s 70’s heyday, but ‘The Day The Truckers Shut this Country Down’ is pretty good, championing the vital work of transporting goods across the US, with twangy, punchy lead guitar and supporting steel.

My only criticism is with the cheap packaging of the CD, which omits two songs (‘Standing In The Headlights’ and ‘Drinking Whiskey’) from the track listing (although the CD itself has a cool vinyl-effect image printed on it.

Sample the title track on youtube.

This excellent record is available digitally everywhere, with the CD available from CDBaby.

Grade: A