John Hartford is described in his AMG bio as "a multi-talented old-time musician, a riverboat captain, a satirical songwriter, a one-man showman of exceptional talents, and one of the founders of both progressive country music and old-time string music revivalism." Impressive. Add to that list: master of the five-string banjo and session man on The Byrds seminal Sweetheart Of The Rodeo album. Given his many talents and compelling life story, its surprising that John Hartford isn’t more well known. If you are one of the many music fans who has not yet discovered John Hartford, I encourage you to read about his life in the bios, reviews, and other materials linked here. But first let’s get to the music... The Big Hit: Gentle On My Mind This is the song that made John Hartford’s career (and paid his bills for years). Glen Campbell’s version was a hit in the late 1960’s. It’s a simple classic that still sounds fresh today. John Hartfo...
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The India Song (or just a dream some of us had)From: settingthewoodsonfire.com
Post Date: 2007-12-10 16:12:00
I’d like to go to India, live in a big white house in the forest, drink gin and tonic and play a grand piano, read a few books, far from what saddens my heart... Sounds like a nice exotic escape, eh? (A delicious G & T is always a good thing.) Although there’s not much to it, I’ve always liked The India Song (mp3) ( buy album ) by Big Star . Big Star’s debut album #1 Record was not fully appreciated in its own time, but modern day hipste...
more Indoor Fireworks - Elvis Costello and Laura CantrellFrom: settingthewoodsonfire.com
Post Date: 2007-12-09 11:48:00
The second of three posts in the Elvis Costello series focuses on the song Indoor Fireworks from King Of America (1986). It’s no secret that Elvis Costello is a fan of classic country music--one of the many styles to have shaped his sound over the years. While Indoor Fireworks is not a straight-up country song like Stranger In The House or Radio Sweetheart, the country influence definitely shines through, especially when performed by country singer Laura Cantrell. This should ...
more Billy boy has been shot, and Stagger Lee’s come out on top... (Update)From: settingthewoodsonfire.com
Post Date: 2007-12-07 02:54:00
Ed over at the Old Blue Bus has put together a great series of posts about the origins and recording history of the song Stagger Lee. It’s a famous American folk song based on a true story. Click here to check it out. My first exposure to the song came in the early 1980’s when I heard this excellent Clash song, which makes good use of the Stagger Lee story: The Clash - Wrong ’Em Boyo (mp3) ( buy album ). The most popular version of the tune is probabl...
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