Honky Tonk Times | Issue 7 | October 2021

ISSUE 7 - OCTOBER 2021

E! INSID ATURE FE ’S L A I C SPE ASHVILLE N ON N CAN LEGIO I AMER OST 82 P

STACI GRIESBACH ARTICLES FROM YOUR FAVORITE DISC JOCKEYS, SPOTLIGHT ON ANDREA AND MUD INTERVIEWS WITH NORM HAMLET and TONY KAMEL LYRICS, FASHION, ASK A DJ, NEW RELEASE RADAR AND MORE!

Melissa Carper - Daddy’s Country Gold Howdy, folks It’s that time of the month again, and you’re hearing from your ol’ buddy Jack from across the pond.

This time? I’m listening to ramblin’ troubadour and upright-bass-playin’ Melissa Carper’s emphatic 12-song collection "Daddy’s Country Gold."

You might be thinking, “Hey now, Jack, that’s a mighty strange name for a record!” Well you see, Melissa earned the nom de guerre "Daddy" years ago as a result of her always seeming to know what to do when it mattered.

As a child, Melissa travelled and played with her family’s country band and spent hours lying beneath the turntable listening to Hank Williams, Patsy Cline and Jimmie Rodgers. The University of Nebraska taught her about Nat King Cole and Billie Holiday before the age-old attraction of wanderlust took her to Eureka Springs, Arkansas, after two years of studying.

Carried by heady dreams and a 1980 Dodge Maxi-van, Carper learned the old greats she had devoured in her teens and played them on every street corner in town… …and in every musical hub across the States; New York City, Austin, New Orleans and Nashville have all been witness to the busking brilliance of Melissa Carper.

It was in Nashville, though, that she decided to record "Daddy’s Country Gold," after years of travelling, playing and founding a number of outfits, including the award-winning Carper Family and Buffalo Gals with her Sad Daddy bandmate and girlfriend, Rebecca Patek.

A lifetime of stories, happiness, heartbreak, learning and much of everything in between come together to form this 12-song modern classic, and I think you’ll plain love it.

It’s available most anywhere you can stream or buy records (the good ones, that is…)

Happy listening, folks…

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HONKY TONK TIMES

What’s inside?

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Staci Greisbach releases tribute to George Jones

8 | Norm Hamlet: Life as a Stranger

18 | Spotlight on Andrea and Mud

24 | Honky Tonk Tuesday at American Legion Post 82

30 | Digging in with Tony Kamel

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4 | Letter From the Editor 5 | November Calendar 6 | Salt Country with Don Sticksel 7 | Honky Tonk Radar 9 | Top Lyrics 10 | Northern Report with Sean Burns 12 | Finest Fashions 20 | Vinyl Reckoning 22 | Chicago Hustle with Lawrence Peters 3

HOWDY Y’ALL Your ole Cousin Early here again. This time I’m sitting in the Bronco waiting to get a table at the Jericho Cafe and Tavern in Jericho, Vermont, to see a few friends sing me back home. The last time I was here was just before the pandemic shut everything down.

It was to see the Starline Rhythm Boys. Both of these groups have Danny Coane in them, and both are great Vermont honky tonk groups. It’s only fitting that on what would be Hank Williams’s birthday, they are playing “Settin’ the Woods on Fire.” Vermont has one of the highest vaccination rates in the U.S., as well as one of the lowest infection rates. It sure does feel good to be back to somewhat normal. Almost every show I’ve gone to here in Vermont has been packed.

As we get back into the swing of things, I am reminded of some of the used-to-bes. One of them was a radio show I used to co-host with Zach Davis, “We Gotcha Covered.” We would play the original version of a song and then play a cover or two of said song and discuss it with the panel of guests in the studio. When Staci Griesbach reached out to me and told me what she was doing, I was very excited to dig in and listen to what she had put together.

I’ve always said good music is timeless and will be covered time and time again. I hope you enjoy the story we have about Staci and hope it can open some new doors to you and a new way to appreciate an artist that means so much to me: George Jones.

I am headed to Nashville for

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Taylor Austin, AKA Cousin Early, head-honcho of Honky Tonk Times, with Maddie Cross, who normally photographs Taylor for the magazine.

Americanafest, and one of our writers, George, is headed down to Connecticut to cover Farm Aid. I just wish I could clone myself to be in both places. If you follow us on social media, you will certainly have seen photos and posts about both of those. Keep your eyes peeled in the next issue for stories on both of those events and many more.

This is also our first issue that is going to be available in a digital format. I’m not sure exactly how that is going to work just yet. We will have the links and the details posted on our social media sites.

Well, I’m off to pack up the ole suitcase and get my papers in order.

PS: I just got back home from Nashville. Boy, oh boy, do we have lots to talk about for our next issue.

My head was spinning the entire time. I’m not sure how many fried bologna sandwiches from Roberts Western World I ate... apparently not enough, however, ‘cause I just walked out of the grocery store with a pound of the stuff. I’m on my way to find some Moonpies.

PPS: A lot has happened since I landed back home minutes ago! I secured my Moonpies and learned that we’re officially digital. You can find this issue of Honky Tonk Times, as well as a few of our previous editions at https://issuu. com/thehonkytonktimes. For all of our highfalutin friends and those who just can’t wait for snail mail, you can now purchase/download the magazine for $5 by visiting the link above. Until next time! l

HONKY TONK TIMES

November 2021 SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

#Bill Anderson, 1937 #Kinky Friedman, 1944 #Lyle Lovett, 1957

#Charlie Walker, 1926 #k.d. lang, 1961 *Tommy Overstreet, 2015

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#Mickey Raphael, 1951

#Patti Page, 1927 #Donnie Fritts, 1942 *Charlie Dick, 2015

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*Holly Dunn, 2016

#C.W. McCall, 1928 #Jack Ingram, 1970 *Roy Clark, ‘2018

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#Jean Shepard, 1933

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#A.L. “Doodle” Owens, 1930

#Merle Travis, 1917 #Jody Miller, 1941 *Billy Ray Reynolds, 2019

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FRIDAY

THURSDAY

#Delbert McClinton, 1940 *Audrey Williams, 1975 *Willard Cox, 2019

SATURDAY

#Roy Rogers, 1911 #Billy Sherrill, 1936 #Gram Parsons, 1946 *Johnny Horton, 1960

#Stonewall Jackson, 1932 #Paul English, 1932 #Guy Clark, 1941 *Hank Thompson, 2007

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3

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#George D. Hay, 1895

#Donna Fargo, 1945 #Dave Loggins, 1947 *Stringbean, 1973

#Hank Garland, 1930

#Barbara Fairchild, 1950

#Jack Guthrie, 1915 #Buddy Killen, 1932 *Doug Supernal, 2020

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*Don Gibson, 2003

#Jacky Ward, 1946 #Laura Lynch, 1956 *John Hughey, 2007

*Mel Tillis, 2017

#Eck Robertson, 1887 #Curly Putman Jr., 1930

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16 *Roy Acuff, 1992 *Hal Ketchum, 2020

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OCTOBER 2021

WEDNESDAY

# BIRTHDAY *ANNIVERSARY OF PASSING

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#Tommy Allsup, 1931

#Linda Davis, 1962

#Eddie Rabbitt, 1941 #Sammy Creason, 1944

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#Teddy Wilburn, 1931 #Jimmy Bowen, 1937

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SALT-COUNTRY

GIMME DANGER

BY DON STICKSEL HTT Contributor Welcome friends to the last installment of Salt Country. I have, for now, run out of things to talk/rant about. To be honest, as I alluded to in the last column, I’m approaching burnout. After holding a torch for country music since 2009 (go find my old Both Kinds of Music Tumblr!), I need a little break. You know how they say symptoms of depression include a loss of interest in the things that bring you joy? That’s where I am. I pass on opportunities for interviews. Things I should be excited about, I’m just “eh” on. And worst of all, I have a cynical outlook (which is nothing new, but I’m downright sour right now, and by the way, Conan O’Brien’s right, it’s an ugly trait).

That doesn’t bode well for someone who promotes music and artists.

Even after I got all excited about AmericanaFest in the last column, I canceled the trip because I wasn’t that hyped to hang out in bars with a bunch of unmasked industry wonks.

But before I go, there’s one last thing I want to leave you with: I need to frame this in a context outside of country music, so bear with me. I’ve been listening to “Gimme Shelter” off the Rolling Stones’ “Let It Bleed” incessantly. (No. 13 on the new Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, which by the way is a fascinating look at what happens when you don’t let old white guys pick the songs). It’s one of those songs that’s perfect. And moreover, it’s dangerous. Mick’s lurid vocals. Keith’s sinister playing. Merry Clayton’s over-the-top background vocals.

The Stones are welcoming us into rock’s era of excess and debauchery.

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“Rape. Murder. It’s just a shot away.”

I mean, come on. Merry sings so hard that you can hear Mick shout with amazement when her voice breaks.

(And tragically, it also caused her to miscarry.) This is the stuff Marty Scorsese soundtracks are made of — second only to Tarantino, but Quentin’s are a lot more esoteric.

But you know when Marty turns the rock ‘n’ roll up, shit’s going down.

Now, one of the worst things I can say about an album is “it’s fine,” an effort that’s inoffensive and adequate.

I get a lot of these albums. Perfectly competent, but y’know…there’s no perspective, no depth. A relative bythe-numbers effort. The artist might not see it this way. They could’ve put their heart and soul (and wallet) into the album they wanted to make with a vision. But it lacks danger. Don’t think threatening; think subversive or fierce. An effort that pushes them outside their comfort zone — whether it’s lyrically or playing with their sound. Whatever it is, it makes the listener go, “oh, that’s different.”

Think of Johnny Cash. He had two different periods of creative output. I’d say from the get-go in 1955 as part of the rockabilly revolution where he invented an entirely new sound through about 1971 with the Man in Black. When he signed to Columbia in 1958, Cash was constantly experimenting with concept albums, whether it was Hymns or Trains or the West, but he was also taking political stances with “Bitter Tears” or the prison albums. He wasn’t always successful (let’s be honest, some of the theme albums are pretty dull), and he remained true to his sound, but he was willing to take chances. Then he got comfortable, and when you’re

Don Sticksel, AKA DJ Salty Cracker comfortable, you’re fine. Or just plain bad (see the Mercury years).

I’m of the opinion that the next phase was not only revolutionary but completely salvaged his reputation and made him a legend. When he started recording with Rick Rubin in 1994, he found a new audience in Gen X. I remember when American Recordings came out and was dismissive of it because Cash was super uncool. He was for old folks!

Then a roommate came home with the album and damned if it didn’t change my outlook in a single listen. He was taking risks with the material and choosing interesting songs and looking to alternative artists. If you saw my column about adding a manifest set on my show where I pick songs I think would make for cool country covers, Cash did it! Nick Cave, Bonnie Prince Billy, Danzig, Tom Waits, Beck.

Rick Rubin not only revitalized Cash’s popularity but by running the ad in Billboard of him flipping the bird to the industry (using, at the time, a relatively unknown photo by Jim Marshall), he was pretty much elevated to sainthood immediately. I’m telling you, if not for this collaboration, Cash

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would’ve been a greatest hits act that dragged his tired stage show to supper clubs and casinos, and we’d have a very different view of him.

Tying that back to Gimme Shelter and “it’s fine,” what I’m getting at is that artists need to take risks. They need to rise above fine and be great, but that requires honesty and a willingness to buck the system. This means songs about Daddy ain’t gonna

cut it. Leave it in the diary.

This means looking at themselves in the mirror and asking whether that song is done, and if it is, is it a good song? It means doing dangerous things that could alienate your audience, like taking a stand or changing your style. Or singing so hard you surprise yourself.

The worst that could happen is you fall on your face, but you get back up and do it again. Give

it a try. It’s just a shot away.

Thanks for reading and following along. I’ve had a great time with the column. See you on down the road. Remember to be kind and … keep it country.

Don Sticksel, AKA DJ Salty Cracker, hosts the Country Bunker on Gimme Country every Wednesday at 12 p.m. PT/2 p.m. CT. Follow him on the socials @bothkindsofmusic. l

HONKY TONK RADAR

Scott Southworth’s ‘These Old Bones’ a must-have This month, Honky Tonk Times is introducing its newest feature: Honky Tonk Radar. In this new feature, we’ll give mention to those who have sent their album to the Honky Tonk HQ. This first round will be some albums that have been frequently popped into my CD player and came in quite some time ago. In no particular order: > “Sean Mencher Plays Guitar” by Sean Mencher This instrumental album is bound to get your toe tapping and your spirits up. It’s my go-to album for when I need to concentrate, not be distracted by lyrics, but also want to really enjoy what I’m listening to. You can pick yourself up a copy at www.swelltunes.com. > “These Old Bones”

by Scott Southworth This one is my brown liquor drinkin’, hell raisin’ go-to. With lyrics you’ll have to sing along to and pedal steel to pull at your heart, this album is a must-have for any collection. Get your copy at www.scottsouthworth.com. > “Loners and Stoners”

by Chris Andres A Canadian with a honky tonk

OCTOBER 2021

heart, Chris really knows how to lay down the lyrics and tell a tale. I often find myself lost in the lyrics of this album. The stories are just too good to ignore. Don’t miss this one. Get your copy at officialchrisandres.com. > “How Many Times” by Esther Rose Esther Rose has a voice that is unique but seems so familiar at the same time.

Her latest album has her vocals taking front and center. Not once does the mix overpower her voice and lyrics. Esther wrote all of the lyrics on this album herself. Paired with a healthy mix of lap steel and fiddle, this album is a musthave in the eyes of Honky Tonk Times HQ. You can get your copy at estherrose.net > “It’s Biscuit Time” by Southwest Biscuit Co. This album is guaranteed to have your toes tapping until you just have to get up and move. If you want to start every day out right, you ought to put this album on as soon as you wake up. You just can’t be in a bad mood listening to this album. It’s a perfect example of modern-day western swing with its nod to the past but a contemporary feel. You can get your copy at southwestbiscuitcompany.com

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Life as a Stranger Norm Hamlet recalls nearly 50 years on the road with Merle Haggard

BY MOLLY HAINES HTT Contributor

called The Farmer Boys; they were on Capitol Records in the late ‘50s into the ‘60s. (Haggard) asked if I could play By all accounts, Norm Hamlet the club Sunday and Monday nights. is a national treasure.

At that time, I was working with The As a member of Merle Haggard’s Farmer Boys down on the desert in backing band, The Strangers, Hamlet Lancaster, California. He said, ‘If you performed at some of the most could just work Sunday and Monday, recognizable concert halls in the United that’d be great.’ I told him I could do it States, including Carnegie Hall and because I was working with The Farmer Madison Square Garden, in front of two Boys Wednesday through Saturday.

U.S. presidents, and opened for the likes I got acquainted with Fuzzy because of Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones. he was a steel player also. He had a After nearly 50 years as Haggard’s record company, him and his cousin, band manager and steel guitar player, called Tally Records. He was gonna Hamlet formed a unique bond with record Merle. I was in the club Sunday piano and trumpet player extraordinaire and Monday night. The first night Mario Carboni. Billed as “The Rebel I worked with Merle, he came over and the Stranger,” Carboni and and said, ‘Hey, I like your playing.

Hamlet are winning over audiences Fuzzy’s getting ready to record me; if across the states with their unique I get something going, you wanna go brand of Bakersfield country. on the road?’ Of course, after hearing When Honky Tonk Times caught him sing, naturally, I said, ‘Yeah, up with the duo in August, they were I do.’ I hadn’t heard anybody that traveling across Alaska en route to the could sing like he did. He’s not only state’s largest festival. Above the roar of a great singer, he was a great person the duo’s rig, Hamlet shared stories of his too. . . . I wish a lot more people had time with Haggard, on recording with met him and got to talk to him.

Rose Maddox, and playing in a band MH: You’ve played on so that once opened for Hank Williams Sr. many incredible records.

The following is an excerpt from Do you have a favorite? that interview, with Hamlet detailing NH: Myself, I liked the song ‘Today his first meeting with Haggard and I Started Loving You Again.’ We were the day the Strangers recorded “Today down recording at Capitol Records, and I Started Loving You Again.” we were in this motel. Merle got the idea; he was married to Bonnie Owens MH: You were with Merle Haggard at that time. He told Bonnie, ‘Boy, I’ve for something like 49 years... got this song going; it’s actually about NH: Before Merle ever recorded, me and you.’ Then he said, ‘I’m really I had done some things with him in hungry. You think you could walk clubs. The first time I ever heard him down to this little restaurant and get was at a club in Bakersfield. I was taking us some hamburgers or something?’ the place of Fuzzy Owen, who was She did; she went down there and got working there at that time; he wanted us some hamburgers. By the time she to go back and be with his folks in got back, he’d already wrote the song.

Arkansas. I was working with a group We went in the studio. At the time,

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Norm Hamlet — Photo courtesy of Mario Carboni Merle said he saw a violin section on this record, and we’d just record with a rhythm section, then we’ll add the violin section later. The only problem was, he sang so darn good; he went in there and sang that song the first time. Everybody else, the rhythm section, they were good, didn’t make any mistakes. We listened to it back, and everybody basically had the same idea at the same time.

We said, ‘Hell, it don’t need no violin section. It just needs to be released.’

That’s kind of the way it happened.

He went ahead and released it that way. If you ever listen to it, there’s just a guitar doing a little thing on the front. The rest of it’s just the rhythm section. It’s my favorite song because it’s a good song. I know a lot of people that’s maybe got the same thing happening to them in their life. They might’ve been with someone, and maybe they weren’t together then and all of a sudden, hey, ‘Today I Started Loving You Again.’ That was one of the things I really enjoyed about Merle.

He could sure write those songs. l For more on The Rebel and the Stranger, please see the September issue of Honky Tonk Times, available at www.thehonkytonktimes.com or https://issuu.com/thehonkytonktimes.

HONKY TONK TIMES

Lying to Myself (Dan Whitaker) Half a year has passed away, I still have nothin’ to say That’s OK, I don’t care, I’m gonna go somewhere and grow my hair What’s the point of talkin’ to someone that don’t ever listen to you There’s better things for me to do, rhyming words and being blue

It’s OK, I’ll walk away and leave it on the shelf what’s the point of tryin’ if I’m lying to myself to myself, to myself to myself, to myself Waste of Time (Gary Hector)

I’m not as young as I used to be But I’m not as old as I’m going to be Yea, I worry about you and you worry about me It’s OK, I’ll walk away and leave it on the shelf This road is long, honey, can’t you see? what’s the point of tryin’ if I’m lying to myself Chorus Back when I was seventeen, I bought I won’t waste no time over this a guitar and learned how to sing It will only get us down I didn’t have a single friend, and never You see time, she waits on no had a broken heart to mend one, but you and me I thought that there would be a way, And she don’t be the one to let us down whatever kind of price I had to pay never thought that I had to lose, the I was thinking about you yesterday very thing that I wanted to use And all them crazy things you used to say And all them bring and sunshiny days It’s OK, I’ll walk away and leave it on the shelf Oh, would we ever get back what’s the point of tryin’ if I’m lying to myself to our yesterdays?

Every day’s another day of waking up to find the dream is always over, but I still have peace of mind Made it to the old cross road, there stood the devil as I heaved my load “I’ll take it off your back”, he said, “and you can take the other path instead” I said “Your offer is very fair, but then there wouldn’t be a reason to share” “Fair enough”, he waved goodbye, he said “I’ll try again before you die”

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Chorus I’m not as young as I used to be, But I’m not as old as I’m going to be One Big World (Wild Leek River) You might say that I’m fading away That I am losing touch with reality As I listen to the words of that radio song Life is short so let’s party all night long

But who’s to blame for wanting to escape It’s hard and getting harder in the U.S. of A And the good times are really over for good, sorry to break it to you Merle It’s lookin’ like it’s gonna be one big third world And there are those that can ignore the pain And those with so much empathy they eventually go insane And those that spend all their hard earned money sitting at a bar And those that spend a fortune sticking needles in their arm Those often are the ones that are dear to my heart Like an unarmed vessel they have let down their guard And they are run down in the open ocean and left for the birds And the dogs and the swine will inherit the world You might say that I’m fading away That I am losing touch with reality Cuz I just want pick my guitar and stay high all day long Don’t wanna think about all the things that are going wrong Those often are the ones that are dear to my heart Like an unarmed vessel they have let down their guard And they are run down in the open ocean and left for the birds And the dogs and the swine will inherit the world

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The Northern Report volume 7

BY SEAN BURNS HTT Contributor Good morning, good afternoon and good evening, friends. I hope this finds you well. I’m writing this month’s column from the comfort of a hotel room on the fringes of downtown Regina, Saskatchewan, in Canada’s breadbasket. We’re back on the road for the first time in 20 months, and it feels great.

As we embark on a short nine shows in 12 days prairie tour, I thought now might be a great chance to shine a light on some of the premier venues sympathetic to honky tonk and traditional country music that we’ll be playing or stopping by on this run.

We rocked a good one down on Scarth Street in Regina at The Fat Badger tonight. A dark, narrow barroom, the Badger rose to local Tonk prominence due in large part to a Tuesday night residency by The Alley Dawgs. As covid cases continue to hammer the beautiful province of Saskatchewan, The Alley Dawgs have yet to resume their spot in the front window, but live music is back on Thursdays (or in our case, a Wednesday), and The Fat Badger is the spot in the Queen City for honky tonkin’.

Looking north to Saskatoon, you’re a little hard-pressed to find a country scene. But venues like Amigo’s, The Bassment and The Capitol Music Club have each been known to host bands of this ilk.

Heading West to Alberta, you’ll find more solid infrastructure and support for local and touring independent honky tonk outfits.

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Edmonton has had tough luck losing venues over the last number of years, and though the scene is strong in the City of Champions, this music isn’t so readily available.

I look downtown to The Aviary as a room that hosts a wide variety of great artists, including the odd roots/country band.

A few hours south on Highway 2, and you’ll land in Calgary. A nice city, sure, but without the same blue-collar charm as Edmonton.

To find some grit and grease (and I mean this in the best of ways), head to The Blues Can. As the name would suggest, it’s largely a blues bar, but thankfully for us, you’re sure to find some form of a country band on their stage at least once a week. There are other great rooms in Cowtown like The Ironwood, but for a true taste of Tonk, you’re best suited to a night at The Blues Can. It’s got the feel of a locals bar, but its true heart, soul and vibe as a music venue remain unmatchable within the city limits.

Keeping that wagon pointed south, you’ll eventually find yourself in the Windy City of Lethbridge. Home to two of Canada’s preeminent honky tonk artists (Skinny Dyck and Shaela Miller), LA is well known for facilitating a good time night in and night out for its residents and touring musicians. For many years The Slice seemed to be the go-to zone for musicians, weirdos, and drinkers with a big stage and killer pizza. Despite several changes of ownership and brushes with uncertainty, The Slice maintains its place as a room worth playing

or attending shows at. Not far away from there is the Owl, which recently moved to a new location with expanded capacity. Once the smoke clears, it’ll be interesting to see what kind of bands they can pull in. If I had to guess, I’d say to expect big and exciting things from the great crew behind this room.

I’m personally partial to the three set nights at Buffalo Bar deep inside the guts of Casino Lethbridge.

There are not many places left like the Buffalo Bar, and I look forward to each booking. Every night you’re greeted by an enthusiastic bunch of folks (typically an older crowd) that wants to dance. Our standing rule is no fewer than one Hank Williams song a set, and even then, the appetite for lonesome songs and dance hall shuffles remains high. If you love singing, playing or dancing to country music, the Buffalo Bar is truly glorious.

West on the Crowsnest Highway (Highway 3) and just south of Pincher Creek, you’ll find all 0.066 sq m of Twin Butte, Alberta. Population around 10. No shit. Nestled along the mountains and in an area peppered with ranches, it’s almost as if you’re in an Ian Tyson song.

Just north of Waterton Park and the border to Montana, it’s one of the most beautiful places on earth. Jeny and Phil are the longtime proprietors of the Twin Butte Country General Store & Mexican Restaurant. The name says it all. With the community being so small, it acts as post office, liquor store, general store, gift shop and restaurant that serves

HONKY TONK TIMES

up one of the best feeds you’ll find in the country. The store has been a regular spot for regional and national touring acts for 10plus years and one that treats its musicians as well as you’ll ever see.

These are just a few of the many venues in the province of Alberta worth noting. I’ll make honourable mention to the Auditorium Hotel in Nanton and Last Chance Saloon in Wayne. The famously haunted Aud in Nanton is your classic hotel/ tavern, and the 8x10 live-action photos showcase the impressive amount of artists from the bar’s glory days. The Last Chance Saloon is another old haunted gem and a must-see if you’re rolling through.

In the Badlands near Drumheller, Last Chance epitomizes the term saloon. Apart from in the winter months, bands are set up in the corner just about every weekend and the highlight of its programming

comes every Labour Day weekend with their festival, Waynestock.

Surely I’ve forgotten some rooms, but these are just a handful of the places worth mentioning.

One new(er) release I cannot fail to note is a great EP called “Retro Man” from Saskatchewan’s Jake Vaadeland. I’ve been playing Jake steady on Boots & Saddle these last weeks and was happy to finally flip the script and introduce someone new to DJ Salty Cracker after so many months of pilfering from the Bunker.

Though I’m on the road, I do have fresh episodes of Boots & Saddle in the can for every Tuesday. And keep your eyes open for new episodes of The Northern Report Podcast.

I think that’s all I got for ya now, friends. Thanks for tuning in.

Remember, Boots & Saddle airs from 11 a.m.-1 p.m (CT) Tuesdays

on CKUW 95.9 FM in Winnipeg.

Find, like, follow, subscribe to TNR podcast and B&S on the socials, on Spotify, Apple and Google podcasts, or from their respective homes: anchor. fm/thenorthernreportpodcast and bootsandsaddle.ca. Hear my music at seanburns.bandcamp. com or wherever you stream for a nominal monthly fee. Stay safe and be nice to each other. l

HONKY TONK TIMES NO W O FFERING ANN UA L SUB SC R IP TIO NS!

WWW.THEHO N K YTO N KTIM ES .CO M OCTOBER 2021

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FINEST FASHIONS LISA SORRELL CHATS WITH VINCE PAWLESS LS: How and why did you begin making musical instruments?

What attracted you to it?

VP: I grew up around family and friends that were musical. My grandfather played violin, and my mother and sisters played piano.

In my early teens, my parents redeemed some S&H Green Stamps for a low-end classical guitar for the family. When I was about twelve, that guitar was getting worn out. Dad told me he would buy me a guitar of my own if I learned a Hank Williams song. I did, and he bought me a used electric Jason brand guitar with a Montgomery Wards Airline amp for $75 from a pawn shop.

When I was about 15, my mother

bought me a $100 Yamaha guitar.

I remember thinking how much better that guitar sounded than the “Green Stamps” Lindell guitar.

In the mid-’90s, I ran across a Martin 1935 Special from Jerry Jeff Walker. It was a shaded top D28 built like the dreadnaught guitars of the 1930s. That guitar had what I was looking for; it sounded special.

Shortly after acquiring that guitar, a friend of mine played it, and he was impressed, so he decided he wanted a Martin guitar. They were a little beyond his budget, though, and in the pursuit of finding him a Martin he could afford, we found a company called Lark in the Morning that sold unique instruments, etc.

Vince Pawless — Photo courtesy of Tadd Myers

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They offered real acoustic guitar kits from Martin Guitar in a box. We ordered one for about $400. We did some research and started the build together. I ended up building 95% of that guitar, and later, he bought it from me.

After that, I was hooked, and I bought two more kits to build.

Each time I finished a guitar for myself, someone would make me an offer to buy it. It created an opportunity to use that money to build myself another one and make one even better. That’s where it got started. I still do not own one of my guitars, but I’m building one now. Again.

LS: Do you play music? What kind and which instrument(s) are your personal favorites?

VP: I play lead acoustic shows with songwriter Vince Bell who lives in Santa Fe. I’m not a “pro on the road” musician, really, but with him, I’ve been able to play some really cool venues such as the Anderson Fair in Houston.

Hanging with him has given me a lot of insight into the lives of him and other great artists, as well as what they look for in guitars.

I also play banjo, but not in public, bless their hearts. My banjo skills have dwindled some, but I still pick it up sometimes.

I have a 1972 Iida banjo with a brass tone ring I wouldn’t trade for a Gibson Mastertone.

I have a 1968 Martin D28 guitar of Brazilian Rosewood. I bought it from my friend Vince Bell, and he bought it new in Galveston in 1969. It traveled with Vince

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in some positive way, that makes a lot of things disappear out of the whole equation of what I was paid, what sacrifices I had made, and how challenging that guitar was to build. When you hear from someone telling you an incredible story of how one of your guitars made an impression, all the negative things attached to that instrument seem to disappear.

LS: Is there a particular instrument you love most?

VP: My 1968 D28 Martin made of Brazilian Rosewood.

LS: Tell me a story about a favorite client or client interaction.

VP: My favorite story is about a guitar that belonged to Photo courtesy of Tadd Myers Tom McElvain, a great singer/ songwriter. His wife Christi bought an experimental guitar I had made “Each time I finished a guitar for myself, in some earlier years. It had a little someone would make an offer to buy it. It created history with Jack Ingram playing it one night when I had it “tested” an opportunity to use that money to build myself out. Tom was on the road with another one and make one ever better.’ the guitar and going to Mexico,

— Vince Pawless

for over 30 years. It was with him when he was playing with Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Nanci Griffith, Lyle Lovett, and Lucinda Williams, to name a few. He played it in venues from Carnegie Hall to Austin City Limits. I always love an instrument with a lot of stories, and that guitar is featured in a book Vince authored, “One Man’s Music,” published by the University of North Texas Press. Half of the book was about his traveling with that guitar. I love the stories it has.

LS: Do you have a memory of realizing that you were an artist or a craftsman?

VP: For many years, people would tell me that I’m a craftsman, and I kind of questioned it because

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CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

I always felt I needed to learn more of the craft. There’s a little discomfort in hearing someone call me a luthier. I’ve always felt a true “luthier” is someone that excels in building all stringed instruments, and I mostly focus on flat-top acoustic guitars. I did build a mandolin from scratch, and I hand carved all of it using a tiny finger plane just to help me feel better about owning that title.

That instrument was my “thesis.”

LS: What do you love most about making musical instruments?

VP: When I’m contacted by someone, a player, owner, or just a listener in the audience, to let me know the sound of one of my instruments has affected them

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and it was stolen out of baggage.

Four years later, a youth minister of a church in Grand Prairie, Texas, sent me an interesting email. He informed me the church had a guitar donated to them by an elderly church member, and it was one of my guitars. When he described the guitar, I knew it was Tom’s guitar. The minister went on to tell me they had not thought much about the guitar until they saw the label and had done an internet search and found me. They just wanted some information on the guitar because they knew it was handmade and may be special.

I just told them I would get them some info and get back to them.

I immediately called the owner, Tom, and gave him the shocking news his guitar had surfaced!

In the end, I contacted the church and told them the news it was a stolen guitar, and they immediately felt it needed to be returned to the owner. Tom went to the church and traded a guitar he had been using for the guitar back.

I’ve always said a person stealing one of my guitars would be an idiot. They’re all unique, and you’re an idiot to steal one and do anything with it.

LS: How (or did) your career as an artist intersect with country music?

VP: I met Jerry Jeff Walker from buying a Martin guitar from him.

Jerry Jeff was a real guitar man, and he knew what tone he wanted. He also was a real guitar trader. It was not uncommon when you bought a guitar from him, he was calling you later to buy or trade it back.

He was always looking for a certain tone for what he was doing next.

He would call me periodically, and I swear if he wasn’t writing a song, he was thinking about guitars.

Jack Ingram, an up-and-coming Texas singer-songwriter, was a big

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fan of Jerry Jeff and sometimes would play with him, and I ended up working on Jack’s guitars with repairs. Eventually, Jack asked me to build him a guitar and I started on it. Jack took a fancy to the inlay in the headstock that Jerry Jeff had designed, and he wanted it in his guitar. After that, a star inside a diamond went into other guitars I had made.

LS: Tell us about your studio.

Do you listen to music in your shop? What kind of music do you like/which musicians or bands do you recommend?

VP: I listen to Bluegrass, Folk, Texas Folk, Texas Country, Blues, some Country Rock (but not really leaning much to the southern rock).

I quit recommending music a long time ago. I tell people what I like. I like the Eagles. Robert Johnson, oh, I love Robert Johnson, and lately, I’ve really been into Howlin’ Wolf. I really mix it up.

LS: Does anyone work in your studio with you?

VP: No, I’m the only one that

is here in the shop. I learned I don’t have the organizational skills to conduct the business and teach at the same time!

I always get requests from people that desire to build guitars wanting to work with me. I know their intentions are good and understand where they’re coming from in their thinking. I often hear, “I want to learn how to make a guitar. I can sweep and do all kinds of stuff for free if you show me how to build a guitar. I won’t take any of your time. I’ll follow you around, watch, and stay out of the way. Can we make a guitar together?” I’m only building three guitars a year for charity, family, and friends now. If someone wants to build a guitar “with me,” we can build it for a price, but if I took the time to show you how to build the guitar, the other two guitars would not be built, and we’ll be lucky to have that one done within a year. It’s my time it’s taking. l

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ALBUM REVIEW

Royal Hounds Nashville’s answer to Spinal Tap Pickin’ and grinnin’. It may be an overused cliche in hillbilly music, but it’s a cliche for a reason — it’s a dang good way to describe hillbilly music that features hot playing and fun songwriting. And that’s what comes to mind when listening to The Royal Hounds’ new album, “A Whole Lot of Nothin’.”

The songwriting is clever and funny, and the playing is top-notch.

As far as music is concerned, what are good stories and songwriting if they aren’t underpinned with great melodies and fine picking?

The Royal Hounds know this, and they deliver the goods right off the bat with the album’s cowbellbanging rocker “Cheap Drunk,” all about the love of top-shelf booze — unless the singer’s the one that’s buying — in which case tequila will do just fine! Lest “Cheap Drunk” fool you into thinking you’ve wandered into a record of Americana roots rock, the second track, “I Just Can’t Two Step,” sets the record straight: this is an album of solid hillbillyhonky tonk-country. “I Just Can’t Two Step” lays the groundwork for what will carry the rest of the album —hilarious and cynical storytelling soaked in red hot picking. You see, it’s not that the singer doesn’t know how to two step — it’s just that he’s in New York City where it’s too crowded to two step because “there’s too many Yankees on the floor, and more comin’ in the door, movin’ all over the place, takin’ up too much space.” If you’re more a fan of the pickin’ than you are of the grinnin,’ The Royal Hounds slip in a couple of instrumentals to ensure their musical chops are not overlooked.

“Door #3” is an instrumental that

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features an infectious melody, tight guitar harmonies, and countless smokin’ guitar runs. In fact, this track sounds like the Nashville A-Team could have recorded it during extra studio time following an early-ending Jimmy Dean session. The recording sound on this record suits the music, too — it’s clean, simple, and uncluttered with gimmickry, which lets the music remain the focal point. Pick up a copy of The Royal Hounds’ “Whole Lot of Nothin’,” drop the needle on the record, and soon you’ll be a-GRINNIN’ with pure delight. — Ronnie Joyner l The Royal Hounds have been described as Nashville’s answer

to Spinal Tap, and their latest album, “A Whole Lot of Nothin’,” sure is a lot of fun. For me, there is just one flaw. “Cheap Drunk,” the album’s opening salvo, is so strong I find it difficult to continue further into the album. The desire to go back and play “Cheap Drunk” on repeat is too strong. There’s a lot of good music on this album, and most of it may well appeal to readers of Honky Tonk Times more than “Cheap Drunk” will, but from a Whiskey Preachin perspective, “Cheap Drunk” causes total devastation to our minds.

We want this track on the next Whiskey Preachin compilation, no question about it. — Tony Sexton, Whiskey Preachin l

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Los Angeles-based jazz vocalist Staci Griesbach’s latest songbook, a tribute to George Jones, is due out Oct. 7. The album’s release comes less than a month after what would have been Jones’ 90th birthday. — All photos courtesy of Kim Thiel

Staci Griesbach releases her latest songbook, a tribute to George Jones

BY GEORGE NOSTRAND HTT Contributor There are times when one is feeling stuck that fate appears to point you in the right direction.

That was the case a few years ago for Staci Griesbach. After a string of Friday night gigs, performing music inspired by Ella Fitzgerald, the jazz singer was ready for a change.

Feeling in a rut, she returned from a Saturday morning yoga class and pulled a record out blindly from her collection for some inspiration. The record was a greatest hits collection

by Patsy Cline, and hearing it

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flipped a switch in her mind.

“It was like a lightning bolt,” said Griesbach. “The songs came right back to me. I not only knew all of the words but every turn of the voice and all the arrangements. I knew then what I wanted to do next.”

Next was a path that led to combining her current jazz skills with her Midwestern roots.

When considering musical hotbeds where jazz is spoken fluently, one rarely thinks of Wisconsin.

And honestly, jazz was not Staci’s thing when she was growing up.

As a young girl living on a 100head dairy farm, she remembers

entertaining imaginary audiences while her family worked on the farm.

“I would play piano and sing to these imaginary people who sat on the sofa in the living room, and they would clap and applaud for me.”

Originally, she planned to go to school to be a veterinarian and most likely would have stayed in Wisconsin and helped neighboring farmers. But throughout her schooling, she continued to sing, act and dance. Her parents encouraged her to do what she wanted to do most, and she ended up going to California, where she worked at a P.R. firm and as a journalist but

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needed music back in her life. That’s when she started diving deeper into jazz. Before too long, she was gigging 200-plus nights a year and realized this might just be a career.

Even after moving 2,000 miles away and becoming a versatile, talented and hard-working jazz singer, she hadn’t forgotten her country roots or the songs she grew up on. So, when the needle dropped on the Patsy Cline record that fateful day, she knew immediately what her new direction would be.

This month will be the third release in this new direction Staci Griesbach has taken, celebrating country music artists through jazz interpretations. Patsy Cline was her first in the series of her tribute album songbooks, followed by an album of interpretations of songs by Shania Twain. The latest release dips into the catalog of someone many consider to be the voice of country music.

George Jones had a career spanning six decades, one that was both rocky and celebrated. In preparation for the album, Griesbach researched his life, his music and connected with many of the people who worked with Jones over the years. She read books, watched old TV footage and digested interviews. When it came time to start the project, she was ready to celebrate and honor his music and his legacy while also putting her own spins on these classic tunes.

Before settling on George Jones, Griesbach sized him up side-by-side with a contemporary, Merle Haggard.

Ultimately Jones won out based on the fact he was chronologically older, the vastness of his catalog and the fact that the timing of the release would celebrate what would have been his 90th birthday.

Throughout the series of jazz tribute songbooks, Griesbach has worked with numerous musicians both in the studio and on the stage.

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“It’s always ideal to keep the same line-up, but when you play shows from L.A. to New York, hitting Nashville in between, you often try to find the best musicians in the area where you are performing the shows,” said Griesbach. “I love meeting local musicians, and there are so many out there that are so good, especially performing in the cities I mentioned.”

Griesbach hopes to reach both her traditional jazz audience as well as fans of country music, with the goal of bringing them together with projects like the songbook collections.

“I hope to have new followers from both sides, and I hope that they will approach listening differently after having been exposed to music like this.”

At the same time, she hopes to break down stereotypes about both genres, like jazz is hard to digest

or that country is too sappy. Part of the success of this cross-over stems from the songwriting and authenticity that the artists she admires bring to their music.

“The goal of any artist should be finding their most authentic self,” said Griesbach. “For me, it made sense to go back to what I grew up on — the stories that I knew.

The bottom line was I ended up marrying my childhood memories and the music that I fell in love with then with the music I love now.”

The official album release is slated for Oct. 7 at the Catalina Jazz Club in L.A. Griensbach plans on doing shows in Nashville and New York as well, ideally hitting her home state as part of the tour.

For more information about Staci, her music and her tour, visit www.stacigriesbach.com. l

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UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT We got to shine our Honky Tonk Spotlight on Andrea and Mud for this month’s edition of Under the Spotlight.

band experience thing kinda sucked, I got addicted to performing right then and there. I started booking that band as much as a 15 year old could.

Q: Where were you born?

Andrea: Toledo, Ohio Mud: On a hill overlooking looking a KFC in Snellville, Georgia. I’ll probably die in the same building seeing as the hospital is now a retirement home.

Q: Who are some of your favorite singers?

Andrea: I think Marty Robbins is one of the greatest singers that has ever lived. When he sings “Don’t Worry,” I just about melt every time.

And then, of course, Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton. Those are probably pretty obvious. Dick Curless has been one of our new favorites. Ha! He’s by no means a “new” artist, but a lot of his stuff is new to me, so I guess that still counts. Also, Johnny Paycheck.

I love him so much. As a musician, maybe not necessarily as a person.

Oh and I/we love Dwight Yoakam so much. OK, we could both go on about this for days, so I’ll leave it at that.

Mud: Dick Curless

Q: What are some of your physical characteristics?

Andrea: I’m a blue-eyed brunette.

I’ve been told I look like Hilary Duff and J. Lo., not combined. Separately.

Mud: Got a bubble butt for this bubble gut.

Q: How long have you been singing and playing guitar?

Andrea: I started playing guitar when I was 14 but didn’t actually start playing and singing until I moved to Georgia in 2013. I’m not going to tell you how long it was between that.

I don’t want you doing that math.

Mud: Only about five years for singing, but I’ve been playing guitar since I was a child. I swear I am an adult now. I started on bass, dabbled in brass and banjo.

Q: When and where did you perform your first show?

Andrea: I think my first real show was with my first band, HotHouse Peaches, at the Star Bar in Atlanta. It’s still one of my favorite places to play.

Mud: Upstairs at the Masquerade (Heaven) in 2008 or 2009 with my first band. I’m not going to tell you the name of the band. I was a freshman in high school, though. It was packed. Even though that whole

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Q: What label do you record for?

Andrea: We don’t have a label.

Yet. We’d love to find someone to work with. We have so many songs to release. Not sure why Bloodshot and New West are still snoozing on us!

Mud: That’s true, so we record for Andrea & Mud Records. We also released an EP recently with Warner Chappell. More info on that TBA. Q: How many albums have you put out?

Andrea: We released our second album, “Bad News Darlin’,” June 12, 2020, and now we’re sitting on two more almost completely finished albums.

Mud: Ya hear that big record labels?

Q: What is the best song you’ve recorded?

Andrea: Hmm, that’s hard! I think it might actually be a song that hasn’t been released yet. Be looking though because it’s coming soon! Of what we have out now, I think maybe “I Ain’t Home.”

That’s a hard question, though!

Mud: All the songs we cut in 2021 are killer.

Q: What has been the biggest thrill of your career?

Andrea: Doing this with the man that I love. Even when I want to kill him, I’ll just write a song about it and have him help me finish it instead of killing him.

Mud: This is really simple, but just having a killer rhythm section that is also my friends.

Q: Where do you make your home?

Andrea: We live in Atlanta, Georgia. We love it!

Mud: In the house. A nice change from the shed.

Q: Who gave you your first big break?

Andrea: Not sure I’ve had it yet.

Mud: I make my luck. Nobody has really given us a break; we just work our asses off.

Q: What do you have in store for the future?

Andrea: Some real good music videos, tons of new songs/new albums and a few TV appearances.

We’re hoping to get our own TV show eventually. We just need a rich benefactor first.

Mud: Making a successful career. Be on the look for a double feature music video with Sam Elliot narrating.

—Photo courtesy of Chad Edwards

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OCTOBER 2021

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Your favorite DJs share tips and tricks for vinyl collecting Q: I love collecting rare 78s and 45s for my jukebox. Some country tunes you just can’t find online very easily. Most of the stuff I find I am finding at yard sales, antique shops, and online. Lots of times, the records will be covered in dust or some really bad grime and mold.

I have a two-part question for you.

What is the best way to clean the vinyl, and how do I clean the jackets when they are moldy? I’ve heard lots of different thoughts, but I’d like to hear it from the experts!

Signed, Dirty in Danville DJ LP: Hey Dirty, thanks for the question.

First, as you probably know, you should clean a record every time you play it, even a brand new one right out of the sleeve. Dust gets on the surface, and you want to get it off, so your needle doesn’t push it into the grooves (it’s really only one groove per side unless you have a locked groove record, but “grooves” is the standard parlance, so we’ll go with that). I use a Discwasher brush and fluid. It breaks the static, picks up any dust, and makes your record and needle last longer. By the way, NEVER use your hand to clean the dust off a record brush. You’ll put a layer of oil on it every time you do that, and it’ll build up. If you’ve ever used your bare fingers to “clean” your glasses, you’ll understand what I’m talking about.

Here’s the record cleaning method I learned from the

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record store old-timers: 1. Put the record to be cleaned on a flat surface, on a paper towel.

Cover the label so you don’t damage it. The lid from a standardsize oatmeal container works nicely.

They measure around 4 ¼ inches.

Hold it in place with one hand while you are doing the next steps.

2. Wet the surface of the record.

Spraying seems to work best. If the dirt is light, you can use distilled water (any other kind of water will leave mineral deposits on your record).

If it’s dirtier, you can use the aforementioned D4, or other record cleaning solutions. I know several collectors who swear by Sparkle glass cleaner, and there are plenty of recipes online for vinyl cleaning fluid, so you have options.

If you use a cleaner that is not specifically made for records, you might want to give it a second pass with distilled water to remove any possible residue.

3. Let the liquid sit on the record for 30 seconds to a minute without letting it dry, and wipe it off with a clean microfiber cloth, going in the direction of the grooves. The trick is to get at the dirt that is below the record’s surface. Microfiber cloths have a nap to them that will get into the grooves better than something like an old t-shirt. They are also less likely to shed. You can give it a second soak if it’s still dirty.

Once the record is clean and dry, it’s ideal to put it in a new sleeve so you don’t get it dusty or dirty all over again.

I’ve been using a VPI Record Vacuum for the last few years, and it really gets the job done. It’s definitely the best thing I’ve seen for getting a record as clean as possible, but it is a serious investment. They now run close to $1,000 for a new one, and used models aren’t much cheaper.

I got hired for a fancy singing gig right as I was saving up for one, so I lucked out. Otherwise, I’d probably still be pinching pennies toward that.

I’ve seen online instructions for building one yourself. That could be a good option if you are handy and/or don’t have the cash to plunk down for a new machine.

Some folks swear by the SpinClean. I’ve never used one, so I can’t offer any insight on that, except to say that I don’t like the idea of the record label being exposed to the cleaning fluid.

To the other part of your question, cleaning record covers is tricky.

I’ve used a pencil eraser on some covers that had ring wear or general scuffs, and that’s worked well. It’s pretty straightforward: gently rub a clean eraser on the dirty part, and use a clean cloth to wipe away whatever comes off.

Repeat it until dirt stops coming off, or it looks like you are going to damage the paper. You can clean the eraser by rubbing it on a dense cloth, like denim, canvas, or duck.

I had some luck getting Sharpie off of a thrifted LP with a gloss white tip-on cover. I carefully used a Q-tip and rubbing alcohol directly on the ink, letting it dry between passes.

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have your records taken away.

Before I put an album on, I look at it under light to see what it looks like. If it’s dusty or obviously dirty, then I clean it with a microfiber cloth and a spray bottle of solution I made myself from a recipe I got from the interwebs: ¼ c of 90% isopropyl alcohol (the higher percentage, the better), ¾ c distilled water, and one or two drops of rinse agent like Finish of DJ B-Side: Well, Dirty in Danville, Jet Dry, which apparently breaks the surface tension and lets the solution it’s a good thing LP was so thorough in his answer because I’m the wrong get in the grooves, but y’know ... who’s sitting around with a neutron one to ask about this. I barely clean myself these days, much less my microscope looking at these things?

Part of my setup includes a records. If you’re new to the column, my collection is primarily made up of thrifted turntable that was sold for parts and still works, so I turn that 50- 60-year-old records that cost me on and let the record spin while I a buck or two ... in large quantities.

So really, my cleaning method has clean it. Oh, I forgot. I have one of those flat paint edger tools that I been to log them in on Discogs then use for a brush. Apparently, the pads shelve them away, never to see the on those are good for cleaning. light of day again. BTW, filed by In case that was confusing: 1. genre then alphabetically by LAST Does the record need to be cleaned? name — I don’t know which of If so, 2. Spray the solution on the you savages files by the first name, record; watch out for the label, I’ve but you should be rounded up and Matte covers are much harder to clean. Getting them wet at all can make the situation worse, but working on the dirt with a damp cloth can make a difference if you are careful.

A dry extra soft toothbrush can also knock off some crud.

That’s all I’ve got on this one.

I hope this has been helpful.

Thanks for writing!

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had a few bleed color when they get wet. 3. Take the paint edger and go around the record to spread the solution around while cleaning it. 4.

Dry the record using the microfiber cloth, going from the inside out.

Make sure it’s dry before you play it. I usually put it on the player and let it spin for a few minutes so it air dries before I drop the needle.

There are plenty of YouTube videos of varying degrees of insanity that’ll proclaim to have the true method of cleaning, but my philosophy is that I paid a buck for this record; it doesn’t need to be spic-andspan. You don’t need to eat off it; just give it a good once-over.

As far as sleeves go, don’t buy moldy ones. They stink, and you can’t get it out — then it just spreads to the records around it.

Over and out!

Have a question for our DJs? Send them to vinylreckoning@ gmail.com or mail to P.O. Box 282, Williston, VT 05495. l

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The

Chicago Hustle with Lawrence Peters

Plenty is happening in Chicago, but I’ve been working like a goddamn dawg, so my knowledge is mostly limited to shows that I’ve been part of.

That said, here are a few scraps of Chicago country and roots news I can lay on ya: Meg And The Wheelers are currently demoing songs for their next record. I caught a couple of them at a recent Hideout show, and they were great. If you haven’t heard their first EP, I highly suggest that you check it out.

Wild Earp And The Free For Alls are threatening to record a Christmas album. Those folks are pretty dang solid on quality control, so it’s a good bet that it’d be a winner.

The outstanding summer porch series at Fitzgerald’s is ending in October, but they’ve decided to take it indoors starting in November.

Local faves The Hoyle Brothers will be keeping their 1-3 p.m. slot the first Sunday of the month, and I’m excited to say that my band, The Lawrence Peters Outfit, will continue to follow them in our 4-6 p.m. spot all winter long.

Donnie Biggins recently opened a new coffee, drinks, and music spot called Golden Dagger in The Tonic Room’s old space. With music curator Zoey Victoria, he’s applying the same skill he lends to Fitzgerald’s programming, with a diverse mix of styles, including Chicago country and roots gems The Family Gold and The Hat Stretchers.

The Hideout recently welcomed a new talent buyer into the family.

His name is Mykele Deville, and the guy is cool. He’s an accomplished

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musician with big ears for the good stuff, and he’s already doing a great job honoring the bar’s past and current sounds while expanding the programming for broader inclusion of artists and genres that have been underrepresented in our town’s music venues. It’s an exciting time over there.

In my article for issue four, I mentioned the fire that nearly leveled Chicago in the 1870s. As this edition of the magazine hits your doorstep, our groovy ol’ town will be commemorating the 150th anniversary of that event: The Great Chicago Fire.

If you aren’t familiar with the story, the conflagration started Oct. 8, 1871, after a particularly hot and dry summer.

The blaze lasted for two days, killing 300 people, destroying 17,000 buildings, and leaving 100,000 of the population homeless, with an estimated $2 million in damage.

A newspaper reporter invented the infamous story of the O’Leary’s cow kicking over a lantern in their barn, but the real cause is unknown. My favorite explanation is that the disaster was sparked by a meteor shower that hit the region. Another fire erupted in nearby Peshtigo, Wisconsin, on the same day, suggesting that both cities were hit by them fiery ol’ space rocks.

After the smoke cleared and much of the rubble was shoved into the lake, the city seized the opportunity to rebuild and build better.* In the years following the fire, Chicago developed the architectural marvel known as the skyscraper, held the Columbian Exhibition of 1893 (which featured the first Ferris Wheel), reversed the flow of the

Chicago river (to combat the cholera epidemics caused by all the shit pouring into Lake Michigan, aka the water supply), built the rapid transit rail system known as the “L,” and became a center of commerce and innovation, to name just a few of the major accomplishments of the time.

Carl Sandberg paid tribute to that work ethic in his iconic poem “Chicago” in 1914. The town’s nickname “City Of Big Shoulders” is quoted from that classic composition.

As we navigate through the evershifting landscape of our own difficult time, I’m hoping that, like Chicago’s phoenix trick of the 19th century, we can all find opportunity and possibility in the loss and change of the last year and a half, and whatever is around the bend. It’d be real cool if we could neighbor up to make this progress together as one. How ‘bout it!

That’s all I’ve got for now. Later taters.

Thanks,

Lawrence *I’d be neglectful if I didn’t acknowledge that Chicago’s post-fire progress, though impressive, was not inclusive. Whole sections of the city’s population were partially or fully excluded from the benefits of that growth. We’re making inroads but still have a long way to go on this.

Lawrence’s radio show, “Country, My Way,” airs from 4-6 p.m. CDT every Wednesday on WLPN 105.5 FM in Chicago, and www.lumpenradio. com and the iOS app everywhere.

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The Cowpokes perform at a recent Honky Tonk Tuesday at Nashville’s American Legion Post 82. From left to right: Andy Gibson, Kevin Martin, John McTigue, Brendan Malone, and Zachariah Malachi. — All photos by Andrew Reese

Whiskey Preachin meets Honky Tonk Tuesday TONY SEXTON HTT Contributor It’s Tuesday evening, you’ve just finished your shift at the Nissan plant, or maybe Randstad, or it could be the Cracker Barrel, and you’re wondering what to do. It’s a school night, so the sensible thing is to curl up in front of Tennessee Crossroads on NPT, do a little light housework, maybe even fix that broken thing.

Then again, it is Tuesday night, and you know there will be fun to be had down on Gallatin Pike.

The last time you went, you had a ball, the drinks were flowing, the music was just right, and the place

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was packed. Dancers were twirling, couples stepping round, what a great atmosphere. Ah, heck, NPT can go hang and to hell with Wednesday.

You pull your boots on, grab your hat and head for the door. It’s time for Honky Tonk Tuesday Night, baby!

For the last six years or so, American Legion Post 82 in East Nashville has hosted a regular Tuesday night event showcasing the best live music for a growing crowd of enthusiastic dancers and lovers of the real country sound. Each week, resident house band The Cowpokes share the stage with like-minded acts and Whiskey Preachin favourites such as Kristina Murray, Cory Grinder,

Pat Reedy, Sarah Gayle Meech, Chris Scruggs, and The Greenline Travelers, whose album we reviewed in issue three of Honky Tonk Times.

A little while ago, Honky Tonk Tuesday Nights posted on their social media, requesting people to come on down and sign up as members of the American Legion, as Post 82 was under threat of closure. Not that the place wasn’t busy, far from it. Honky Tonk Tuesday Nights are often rammed, with 500-plus people enjoying the music and dancing. Then there are the other nights, Blues Mondays, Bluegrass Wednesdays, Songwriters Thursdays, Karaoke Fridays, Honky

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Tonk Matinee Saturdays and the Old Time Jam on Sundays. Being busy certainly wasn’t the problem, but too many non-members were turning up, and that was not in line with American Legion rules. The balance needed to be redressed.

This seemed like a good time to find out more, so I contacted Kevin Martin, lead singer of the Cowpokes, and Brendan Malone, the Cowpokes bass player and head honcho at Honky Tonk Tuesday Nights, to see what’s been going on down on Gallatin Pike.

WP: How long has Honky Tonk Tuesday been running, and how did it start?

KM: It all started back in August of 2015. We were hanging out at the Post and had just brought down some instruments to jam at the bar, and Commander Pete Barnett offered us a night to do music. There wasn’t much going on in those days at the Legion, and they were very much in need of some patronage, so with the help of our Aussie friend Stu Arkoff we started the night up and performed under the name Swampy Tonk Drifters. Months later, when Stu had to return to Australia, we formed a new band called The Cowpokes.

WP: What’s your background in music? What were you doing before Honky Tonk Tuesdays?

KM: I grew up playing mandolin and going to bluegrass and oldtime music festivals, and fiddlers’ conventions, and some local dances in Georgia. In high school, I switched over to playing the fiddle. I moved to Nashville in 2008 to attend college at Belmont. I got a degree and began working in music royalty administration, royalty auditing, licensing, and music publishing.

You know, the real boring but extremely necessary side of the music business that makes the world keep turning for creatives. I

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Members of The Cowpokes, Brendan Malone, Kevin Martin, and Zachariah Malachi. also have another band, Hogslop String Band, which is very active touring around the country, and was started back in 2009. The Cowpokes always kept at least two gigs a week in Nashville, and eventually, in 2016, performing and touring and keeping a 9-5 job was killing me, and I quit working my office job and began “doing music” full-time.

WP: Honky Tonk Tuesdays has become well known around the world to people who are into a certain type of country music.

How would you describe the bands that play at your night?

What do they have in common?

KM: Honky Tonk Tuesdays is about dance music. We always play to the dancers. I used to tell the other bands, “If folks aren’t dancing, you’re not doing it right.” We like the old country shuffles, that 4-4 beat that gets people on their feet. We try to book bands that understand how to play country music for dancers.

WP: What was the original ethos for the night, and has that changed much over the years?

KM: In the early days, most of the attendees were close friends of the band members, naturally. They were mostly Country Music fanatics like ourselves. Nowadays, lots of those folks still come out, but the popularity of the night has grown, and the crowd size has significantly increased. Most nights, I’d guess there are about 15% first-timers, with about 5% or more being visitors to Nashville. It’s very much still an event for locals and feels like it’s off the beaten path, but I think many folks who come in for the first time aren’t really familiar with the songs we play or pre-1970s country music in general, but that’s fine with us. They seem to love the music, the culture, or the spectacle of a dance hall, and they learn to dance and eventually start singing the choruses on the dance floor, and most importantly, they come back! Country music evangelism right there!

WP: How many different bands do you think have played at the night, and what acts have provided you with your most treasured memories?

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KM: I’m sure we’ve had at least 100 different bands play. We’ve done over 300 Tuesday shows so far. My favorite memories have been the times where we’ve had Jim Lauderdale or David Ball or Rodney Crowell come to play because I know how much they love that atmosphere, and they feed off it like they did when they were first cutting their teeth in honky tonks and playing for dancers. One of the most legendary nights, however, was when Rodney Crowell came to play and brought along friends Emmylou Harris, Vince Gill, Paul Franklin and the rest of their band!

It was a total blowout night. The fire marshal came because we were way over capacity and, somehow, we dealt with him, and we were able to finish the show uninterrupted. There wasn’t much room to dance that night, but I always encourage the dancers to “steamroll” people who are standing on the dance floor. The dancers didn’t have it easy that night, but the music was special. I also barely remember a fun night when Dale Watson came and played. That’s what happens when you “don’t drink normally.”

WP: What bands would you like to have play who haven’t done so yet?

Which new acts do you have your sights on having play in the future?

KM: I’d tell you, but I don’t want to jinx any of our irons in the fire!

WP: I saw your post on social media asking people to come down to American Legion 82 and sign up for membership, as there is the possibility of the post being closed down due to low membership. What is the situation with that now? Is AL82 still in danger of closure?

KM: That crisis has been averted for now. We ended up getting over 200 new members and still counting.

This was a massive achievement for the Post. The issue was that the State American Legion Board didn’t like the fact that Post 82 had so

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many non-members on nights that there were bands playing. American Legions are members-only clubs, and guests must be accompanied by a member. That requirement was very relaxed at Post 82, however, and sometimes we would have less than 10 members in the building with several hundred people. Now we have a much higher percentage of members there on Tuesdays, which looks a lot better and is better for the Legion. The State Board wanted Post 82 to stop having music because there were

“Honky Tonk Tuesdays is about dance music. We always play to the dancers. I used to tell the other bands, ‘If folks aren’t dancing, you’re not doing it right.’”

— Kevin Martin so few members actually attending the events, which would choke the Post’s cash flow and actually cause them to close down. I think we’ve stopped that from happening for now. Is the Post still in danger of closing? I’m not sure. I think Post 82 is what the State Board would consider as a very non-traditional American Legion Post. Mostly nonveteran members under 50 years old

support the Post. The State, much like the National American Legion, doesn’t really understand how to communicate and foster support/ membership within that crowd, or even veterans under 50. That’s just the way the AL is. They’re very much an antiquated organization that has been experiencing significant declines in membership across the country for several decades due to many factors, some of which are out of their control.

WP: Do you have a contingency plan for Honky Tonk Tuesday if AL82 does close?

KM: We’ve come up with several potential options, but no change of venue is seriously being considered at this time.

WP: How important to Honky Tonk Tuesday is the fact that it is held at AL82? Do you consider the venue to be an important part of the night’s identity?

KM: Post 82 is a massive part of both The Cowpokes’ and Honky Tonk Tuesday’s brand and image.

The building, the stage backdrop, the dance floor, the disco ball, it’s all iconic. Losing that part of us would be devastating, but the show would go on if all those things were ever to be taken away from us.

WP: What albums are on your turntable most frequently at the moment?

KM: I’m always listening to the Louvin Brothers or Rusty and Doug; the harmonies are unbeatable.

WP: What does the Nashville music establishment make of Honky Tonk Tuesday? Are you regarded as a hotbed of new talent?

Do you get a lot of label types scouting for artists to sign?

KM: They look at it much the way I think they looked at East Nashville in general in the ‘90s. I think what goes through their heads is, “Wow! There’s actually a lot happening over there. Wait, where is it? Is it

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safe to visit? There seems to be a lot of talent there, but it’s not really marketable in a mainstream way.” We do have people who come and scout talent. There are a number of artists who were “discovered” here. You really just never know what is gonna happen. It’s different every week. We don’t post a schedule, and we never will. We announce who’s playing a couple days ahead. It’s not just about who’s playing, it’s a happening.

WP: At the time of this writing, Americanafest is just around the corner. Does Honky Tonk Tuesdays get involved with hosting acts for the festival?

KM: We used to do an unofficial thing every year during Americanafest, but with their Radius Clauses and the high visibility of our event, it’s pretty impossible to do now. They wanted us to join the festival last year, but venues have to pay to be official venues for the festival. We don’t have a lot of extra cash hanging around unless we’ve overlooked it, and we have little to no sponsorship at Post 82, so I don’t think that’s ever going to be an option, unfortunately.

WP: East Nashville used to be regarded as the hipster side of town. Is that still the case, and is it your favourite part of the city?

KM: There’s plenty of hipsters still here, for sure, but as these things go, there seems to be an influx of young professionals and well-off young families moving in and driving up prices for everything. Same story as the “cool part” of every decentsized American city. I love East Nashville. There’s many great restaurants and stores and still a lot of culture to be found. Nashville has many great neighborhoods, but Brendan and I live up in Madison (a few miles North of East Nashville), where many of our friends have begun moving

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over the last few years. Madison seems to be on the verge of really becoming something special and becoming a new home for creatives and culture in Nashville.

WP: When did the Cowpokes start as a band? Did the band exist independently of Honky Tonk Tuesdays before they became the resident band?

KM: We started toward the end of 2015 after the Swampy Tonky Drifters stopped playing on Tuesdays. Stu was the lead singer of the Swampy Tonk Drifters, I played fiddle and sang harmony in that, and I had another country band called The Benders at the time with Logan Ledger. We ended up kind of merging the two bands into one, and I named it The Cowpokes. At that time, we had myself (vocals, fiddle), Logan Ledger (vocals, guitar), Andy Gibson (pedal steel), Brendan Malone (bass), and Rob Ivy (drums).

Logan left the band after a year or so, and we’d go on to have a few more (and less) regular members through the years, sometimes extra guitars, piano, additional singers, and drummers, but for the last four years, the core band has been me, Brendan Malone, Andy Gibson, and John McTigue on drums.

The Cowpokes are very much a product of Honky Tonk Tuesday.

WP: How does a typical Honky Tonk Tuesday night pan out?

Do the Cowpokes play first, followed by the guest act?

Do you have DJs as well?

KM: We usually start at 7 p.m. with some dance lessons.

Sometimes we have a DJ. We usually have our guest act kick off the music after the lessons around 8 p.m., and The Cowpokes hit the stage around 9:30 p.m.

WP: If you could host a fantasy Honky Tonk Tuesday night, with any artists from history, alive or

Brendan Malone dead, who would you have playing?

KM: How much time do you have? Can it be a month-long event? I can think of so many, but I’d tell them the same thing I’d tell the other bands, “play to the dancers!” Of course, we love good dance music like Ray Price, Bob Wills, any Mel Tillis song…

So, let’s start planning that Honky Tonk Month, and if there’s room for a couple more DJs, Whiskey Preachin can always pop over the pond to help out. If you want to help out Honky Tonk Tuesdays and live in or near Nashville, get yourself down to one of their nights and sign yourself up as a member of AL82.

Tell them Shamblin Sexton sent you; they’ll give you a very funny look. You can also check out the film Honky Tonk Moonlight, all about Brendan and Kevin and their exploits down at Post 82. Clocking in at around 45 minutes, the film can be found on YouTube. Check it out, it will make you want to grab your hat, pull on your boots and get out on that hardwood floor. l

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Scenes from honky tonk Tuesday

All photos by Andrew Reese

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Gulf coast gold: Digging in with Tony Kamel

Tony Kamel’s, debut solo album, “Back Down Home” is available now. Kamel is the frontman for the Grammy-nominated group Wood and Wire.

— Photo by Josh Abel

BY TAYLOR AUSTIN Honky Tonk Times

a lot. I’m proud of it. I’m proud of the way that we did it, the way it turned out. I’m proud of the tunes.

“Trying to juggle being a father TA: “Ruben’s Train” gives the and putting out a new record” is album a familiar feel to it. a challenge I could never imagine Did you write all the songs? meeting, but it’s exactly what TK: Yes, mostly. There are a Tony Kamel, frontman of Wood few co-writes on there. “Ruben’s and Wire, is doing for his first Train” is an old bluegrass number solo effort, “Back Down Home.” or old-time number that has When an artist breaks out been interpreted in bluegrass and with a solo album, you never old-time music. It’s one of those know what to expect. I can’t traditional tunes that, over the stop listening to it, and I think years, everyone has written their you folks would feel the same. own verses and sort of expanded on the story. I thought it might be TA: You should hold your head fun to write my own. As I started high, Tony. This is a great album, to gather my tunes — some tunes and I’m sure folks will really dig it. from the past and some tunes TK: Thanks, Taylor. That means from the present at the time, and

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wrote a few new ones — the gulf coast theme started to emerge.

I went back and rewrote a few of the songs to see if there were any places that I could add any of the gulf coast imagery as sort of a backdrop. “Ruben’s Train” is an old traditional number, as I said.

I thought I’d expand on the sort of old tradition of adding my own lyrics. I tried to make it subtle and added a gulf coast flair, sending this guy down the gulf coast to Louisiana. That one I wrote my own verse and my own lyrics to, but it is an old traditional song.”

In our conversation, Tony was very friendly and open about his songwriting and the

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inspiration behind the lyrics.

“There is ‘The Surfer.’ I grew up surfing on the gulf coast. There was always this guy who I would see out there. Much older than me, but in great shape, with a big mustache. Last August I was down there to go surfing and I saw him, but he was in his truck just watching everybody. I struck up a conversation with him for the first time, and he told me how he had broken his hip, and he couldn’t surf anymore and kind of told me his entire life story.

And I went and wrote a song about him.”

Not all songwriters are as open with telling the stories of where their songs come from.

Tony was happy to go into great detail about a few different songs in our conversation, which led to him telling me about another project he has coming up.

“Some guys hold where they came up with their songs really close to the vest.

That mystery can be very cool, and some songwriters hold onto that, and I get that. But I’m not that way. I’ll tell you every detail of every line. I’m actually putting out a podcast to accompany the record to talk about some of the songs and the way that we recorded it, but more specifically, trying to find interesting stories of weird people down on the gulf coast and find stories of people with tragic events that changed their lives and stuff.

I like getting into that nitty-gritty.

People find that stuff fascinating, and I do too. I want to hear that from songwriters that I like.”

Tony doesn’t plan on keeping

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it just a one-time run as an album companion, either. He has big plans for his upcoming, yet-to-be-named podcast.

“I want to make it a longterm thing. I want to find weird, interesting people to tell weird, interesting stories. And I think I’m going to base it around the uniqueness and strangeness of the gulf coast. From south Texas to south Florida.”

Anyone who knows me knows that I will gladly follow anyone I

there for a while, and Bruce had been asking me to make a record there for about four years. At the time, I was too busy, and If I was going to do a solo record I didn’t want just to make something and just throw it out there all Willy nilly with no real press because I was busy with Wood and Wire and didn’t want to pull from what we were doing. I wanted to do it when it was appropriate and really push it when I could really sell it, and finally, that day came.”

Having a great career with Wood and Wire, I have no doubt that this album will also give Tony a great solo career as well. It’s always a great day for the fans when an artist can have success in several different ways.

“What I really hope is that people listen to this and they show it to their friends, and it spreads naturally. I’d love to be on these Spotify playlists and stuff, but there is nothing more powerful than when a friend is like, ‘Dude, you’ve gotta listen to this. It’s cool, it’s different, it’s kinda weird and there’s not am talking to off into wild tangents much out there like it.’ Those are the and beyond. I somehow was able to reactions I hope to get. I hope it’s unique. That was my goal. To make bring our focus back to the album. something that is unique and not I asked Tony if this was his first time working with Bruce Robinson, sounding like anything out there.”

Well, there ya have it. Tony’s who produced the new album hopes have come true. He has made “No. Wood and Wire worked with Bruce, we recorded an EP out an album that is different. But it is also the same in the sense that there of John Hartford songs, and it is something I think all of our he had called us all in individually readers will love. Get your copy of to play on different stuff over the his new album at tonykamelmusic. years. I was very familiar with com. Then do your part and the studio and with the process show it to your friends, I did! there. I had been wanting to do it

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Gee, I think I'll send a note to the Honky Tonk Times!

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Send your letters to the editor, reader and concert photos to: honkytonktimes@gmail.com OR The Honky Tonk Times P.O. Box 282 Williston, Vt 05495