Country music from a fan's point of view since 2008
Back in the days writing for The 9513 Blog, I would post occasional reviews on Amazon. We are republishing updated versions of some of those reviews here.
Give Buck Owens credit – he knew that the “freight train ” sound was growing a bit stale and he was willing to experiment. I’ve Got You On My Mind Again was the first album to feature background voices and strings, something he continued on the next studio album Tall Dark Stranger (both 1969). In 1971 Owens took a more contemporary turn with his Bridge Over Troubled Water album, which was recorded without fiddle or steel guitar and featured songs by the likes of Paul Simon and Donovan. Later in 1971 came Ruby and Other Bluegrass Specials.
Not exactly bluegrass in it’s instrumentation (marred by drums and organ) it nevertheless is a fun romp through eight bluegrass classics plus two from the Buck Owens catalogue recast as bluegrass. Both singles issued from the album, “Rollin’ In My Sweet Baby’s Arms” and “Ruby (Honey Are You Mad At Your Man)” went to #1 on the more sales-oriented Cashbox charts (Billboard had them at #2 and #3 respectively). The title cut was a hit the year before for the Osborne Brothers, so it was still fresh in the public memory as was “Rocky Top” the Osborne Brothers big hit from 1968. “Ole Slew Foot” was part of both the country and bluegrass repertoire and so was familiar to fans of both genres although the only hit on the song was by Porter Wagoner. “I Know You’re Married But I Love You Still” was one of the most requested tunes for the beloved bluegrass duo of Don Reno & Red Smiley. Of course, everyone knows “Uncle Pen”.
Owens didn’t stray too far from bluegrass with his next album Too Old To Cut The Mustard, with son Buddy Alan. but Owens never again returned to the genre after that. Good clean fun – equal emphasis on all three words.
Grade: A
For a Californian who had never resided in the southeastern United States, John Fogerty sure sounded like someone from that region of the country and his band reeked of a swamp-rock vibe. For a few years, Creedence was an overwhelming force on both Billboard’s singles and albums pop charts. After an acrimonious break up, Fogarty soldiered on alone, continuing his successful ways
Who Were They?
Creedence Clearwater Revival was basically a garage band with a very talented singer-songwriter in John Fogerty. The real breakthrough for CCR came with the 1968 single “Proud Mary” which hit #2 in the US and Canada (and reached #1 in Austria). The next single “Bad Moon Rising” also reached #2 (#1 in Great Britain). This was followed by “Lodi” (#52), “Green River” (#2), “Down On The Corner” (#3), “Who’ll Stop The Rain” (#2) and “Lookin’ Out My Back Door” (#2). Curiously , CCR never had a #1 single in the US although various singles went to #1 outside of the US.
CCR’s first six albums were all certified by the RIAA as platinum or multiple platinum. Their final album, released in 1972 was certified gold.
By 1973 the group was no more, racked by internal disagreements and squabbles with their record label. Their label, Fantasy, continued thereafter reissuing various hit collections and anthologies.
John Fogerty had considerable success as a solo artist issuing a number of successful singles and albums
What Was The Connection to County Music?
While CCR only landed one single on the country charts (a reissued album track “Cotton Fields” in 1982), country acts recorded many of their songs as singles and album tracks. Anthony Armstrong Jones had a country hit with “Proud Mary”, Buddy Alan Owens hit the country charts with “Lodi”, and such stalwarts as Dave Dudley recorded “Bad Moon Rising” and Proud Mary”. “Lookin’ Out My Back Door” established CCR’s country credibility with the lyric:
There’s a giant doing cartwheels, a statue wearing high heels
Look at all the happy creatures dancing on the lawn
Dinosaur Victrola, listenin’ to Buck Owens
Doot doot doot lookin’ out my back door
John Fogerty was never afraid of anything as he battled record labels and bandmates over the years. He also, at a time country wasn’t cool, wasn’t afraid to show his country roots. In fact his first solo album (a one-man band effort) titled THE BLUE RIDGE RANGERS featured John singing a bunch of classic country songs, including the 1973 single “Jambalaya” which charted in 1973.
Fogarty would wait awhile before doing another country album but 2009’s BLUE RIDGE RANGERS RIDE AGAIN proved worth the wait. In some ways this album was better than the original as he eschewed the one-man band gimmick and used some of the genre’s finest sidemen in addition to having some vocal partners like Don Henley and Bruce Springsteen.
My Kind of Country 