One of the most important country recordings of all time; on par with 'Rock Around The Clock' and 'Heartbreak Hotel'; Roy Acuff launched a publishing empire with partner Fred Rose forming Acuff-Rose Publishing; thus making one of the first steps in Nashville becoming the major recording industry center that it remains today. His band "The Smoky Mountain Boys" (previously named "The Crazy Tennesseeans") were all talented mult-instrumentalists, and the instrumentation on this particular recording consisted of electric steel guitar; accordian; harmonica; rhythm guitar; upright bass; and fiddle. Shortly after this recording, the electric steel guitar was replaced by the Dobro played by Beecher Kirby aka "Bashful Brother Oswald" and this sound was to remain one of Acuff's trademarks all the way till the end of his career. Acuff was dubbed "The King of Country Music" by baseball great Dizzy Dean who stated this to the newspapers, and the title stuck. Acuff remained an 'elder statesman' of the Grand Ole Opry and was a highly respected pillar of Nashville society. Roy Acuff was generous with his time and made many overseas tours with the USO, entertaining troops during the Korean and Viet Nam wars. Roy Acuff is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, and a charter member of the CMA.
Dear Bill Thank you for this. I appreciate your contributions [the other one is in response to an earlier posting about 78s] and hope you'll continue to make them.
Don't be ridiculous, Joe: there are loads. Everything from Randy Newman ("Birmingham, Birmingham, greatest city in Alabam") to Donovan's 'Mad John's Escape' ("Mad John came down from Birmingham...") and from Blind Willie McTell's 'Writin' Paper Blues' (“meet me in Birmingham” is rhymed with “sent you a telegram”) to Emmylou Harris' 'Boulder to Birmingham'. And at least in the case of the Donovan record, it's the British one.
One of the most important country recordings of all time; on par with 'Rock Around The Clock' and 'Heartbreak Hotel'; Roy Acuff launched a publishing empire with partner Fred Rose forming Acuff-Rose Publishing; thus making one of the first steps in Nashville becoming the major recording industry center that it remains today.
ReplyDeleteHis band "The Smoky Mountain Boys" (previously named "The Crazy Tennesseeans") were all talented mult-instrumentalists, and the instrumentation on this particular recording consisted of electric steel guitar; accordian; harmonica; rhythm guitar; upright bass; and fiddle. Shortly after this recording, the electric steel guitar was replaced by the Dobro played by Beecher Kirby aka "Bashful Brother Oswald" and this sound was to remain one of Acuff's trademarks all the way till the end of his career. Acuff was dubbed "The King of Country Music" by baseball great Dizzy Dean who stated this to the newspapers, and the title stuck. Acuff remained an 'elder statesman' of the Grand Ole Opry and was a highly respected pillar of Nashville society. Roy Acuff was generous with his time and made many overseas tours with the USO, entertaining troops during the Korean and Viet Nam wars. Roy Acuff is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, and a charter member of the CMA.
Dear Bill
ReplyDeleteThank you for this. I appreciate your contributions [the other one is in response to an earlier posting about 78s] and hope you'll continue to make them.
Beautiful! Jack
ReplyDeleteThanks for this Michael
ReplyDeleteit's the first time I've ever heard Brum namechecked in a song
Oive cum over all gooey ower kid
"Promised land" Chuck Berry
ReplyDeleteDon't be ridiculous, Joe: there are loads. Everything from Randy Newman ("Birmingham, Birmingham, greatest city in Alabam") to Donovan's 'Mad John's Escape' ("Mad John came down from Birmingham...") and from Blind Willie McTell's 'Writin' Paper Blues' (“meet me in Birmingham” is rhymed with “sent you a telegram”) to Emmylou Harris' 'Boulder to Birmingham'. And at least in the case of the Donovan record, it's the British one.
ReplyDelete