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Tag Archives: Osborne Brothers
Album Review: Josh Turner – 'I Serve A Savior'
2 Comments Posted by Occasional Hope on November 14, 2018
Josh Turner's deep religious faith has underpinned his career, from his astonishing debut single 'Long Black Train'. It comes as no surprise that he has now recorded a gospel album – or indeed that 'Long Black Train' makes another appearance.
Josh wrote the title track with Mark Narmore. It is quite a nice song set to a gentle melody in which he sets out the story of salvation and affirms his own commitment. It is one of only two new songs on the album, although some choices are less familiar than others. The other is actually the album's one misstep. 'The River (Of Happiness)' was written by Josh's wife Jennifer and son Hampton, and the whole family sings along live (apart from Josh himself). The song itself is not bad. Unfortunately the children can't all sing In tune.
My favorite track is a measured, deeply sincere, reading of the Hank Williams classic 'I Saw The Light', backed by the sweet harmonies of Sonya Isaacs. I also loved the less well known 'I Pray My Way Out Of Trouble', a charming song written by Loretta Lynn and Teddy Wilburn. It was recorded by the Osborne Brothers in the 1960s, and Bobby Osborne contributes harmonies to this version.
There is a solid version of spiritual 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot' which allows Josh to showcase the furthest reaches of his deep voice. 'Without Him' Is from the Southern Gospel tradition and has an emotional soulful vocal.
Classic hymns 'Great Is Your Faithfulness', 'How Great Thou Art' and (the best of the three) 'Amazing Grace' are all performed with reverence to tasteful arrangements. A more unusual inclusion is the short (very short if you're thinking of it as a song, at only 42 seconds) 'Doxology' composed In the 17th century by Bishop Ken. Josh sings this quite simply and completely acappella. Really, this ought to close the set, but a retread of the sunny 'Me And God' (from Your Man) follows it.
Impeccably sung, arranged and produced, if not very original, this is a fine record with appeal for fans of Josh Turner or Christian country music.
Album Reviews	Bishop Ken, Bobby Osborne, Hampton Turner, Hank Williams, Jennifer Turner, Josh Turner, Loretta Lynn, Mark Narmore, Osborne Brothers, Sonya Isaacs, Teddy Wilburn
Album Review: Mac Wiseman and Friends – 'I Sang The Song: Life Of The Voice With A Heart'
Leave a comment Posted by Paul W. Dennis on July 27, 2017
If you consider Bill Monroe and those who recorded with his early bands to be Generation 1A in Bluegrass, with those immediately followed in his wake to be Generation 1B (Reno & Smiley, Flatt & Scruggs (Lester & Earl personally were 1A), Carter & Ralph Stanley, Bobby & Sunny Osborne, Jim & Jesse McReynolds, Jimmy Martin), then the last surviving member of generation 1A is Mac Wiseman.
Born in 1925, Mac Wiseman is the great survivor: he survived polio, the Great Depression, Molly O'Day, Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Boys, Flatt & Scruggs' Foggy Mountain Boys, Dot Records (as an executive) Rock 'n Roll, The Hootenanny Era, The WWVA Jamboree, the WSM Grand Ole Opry and The Nashville Sound. Along the way he forged a stellar career as a solo artist recording pop, country and bluegrass music. He was friends with Bob Dylan, Merle Haggard and Gordon Lightfoot, helped organize the CMA and has been inducted into both the Country and Bluegrass Music Halls of Fame.
This album arises from a series of interviews (or perhaps visits) Peter Cooper and Thomm Jutz had with Wiseman in which they discussed his life, listened to his stories and realized that many of the stories would make good songs. All songs are credited to Wiseman, Cooper & Jutz with the exception of the last track on the album.
Mac was past ninety years old when this album was recorded, no longer is very mobile and his voice isn't quite what it was even a few years ago. Consequently Mac does very little singing on this album, his contributions mostly limited to the beginning or the end of some of the tracks.
Instead a phalanx of his admirers and colleagues do most of the singing with Shawn Camp, Buddy Melton, Junior Sisk, and Ronnie Bowman, among the featured vocalists. Needless to say these vocal performances are terrific. From outside the field of bluegrass, several other vocalists were enlisted.
The album opens up with "The Guitar" a song about Mac's first guitar, a mail order guitar from Sears, and his experiences in leaning the guitar. Sierra Hull and Justin Moses do the singing on this song (Mac takes a refrain at the end). Sierra (mandolin) and Justin (banjo.fiddle, dobro) team with Mark Fain (bass) and Thom Jutz (guitar) to serve as the backing band for the entire project, with Jutz and Cooper providing harmony vocals on some of the tracks.
"Somewhere Bound" is next up, a song about Mac's childhood dreams of seeing the world, Buddy Melton, Milan Miller and Andrea Zonn provide the vocals.
"The Wheat Crop" opens and closes with Mac singing a chorus of "Bringing In the Sheaves", followed by this song about the responsibilities and problems of managing the wheat crop. Junior Sisk, Sonya Isaacs Yeary and Becky Isaacs Bowman provide the remaining vocals.
Jim Lauderdale has always been one of my favorite singers and I firmly believe that if he had come along in the 1950s or 1960s he would have been a huge country music star. "Barefoot 'Til After the Frost" recounts Mac's childhood as a school boy. I can't personally identify with the song, but my father and anyone who grew up in rural America during the Great Depression certainly could – I can remember Dad speaking of this very thing.
"Manganese Mine" is the tale of a property owner taken advantage of and conned nto selling his mineral rights too cheaply. A sad story too often repeated, especially in Kentucky and West Virginia.
The trio of Melton, Miller and Zonn return for "Three Cows and Two Horses" are Mac's homespun story of the fortunes of many rural families.
"Simple Math," sung by Jim Lauderdale, is one of my two favorite songs on the album. The song follows Mac's experiences breaking in as a professional musician including his big break playing with the great Molly O'Day. Lauderdale, who can sing anything and everything is the perfect vocalist to relate the pithy truths of Mac's observations ("You Can't Spend The Money You Don't Have, That's How It Works – It's Simple Math".
Junior Sisk and Ronnie Bowman join up to sing the sing the religiously-themed "Crimora Church of The Brethren". The song is about going to church during the Great Depression.
"Going Back To Bristol" is my other favorite from the album, and the song currently getting the most airplay. Sung by Shawn Camp, the song is an excellent summary or snapshot of Mac's career. Shawn Camp was originally pushed as a country artist by Reprise around 2000, but it didn't take (too much bluegrass in his soul) so he returned to his first love and has had great success as a bluegrass artist, In addition to his solo endeavors (song writer, Grammy winning record producer, etc.), Shawn is the vocalist for the Earls of Leicester.
I'm not really a John Prine fan, but there is no questioning that he has a great appreciation for the music of Mac Wiseman and he and Mac are friends (in 2007 they cut a terrific album together of mostly classic country songs titled Standard Songs for Average People). John was a perfect choice to sing the title cut, the gentle ballad "I Sang The Song". Prine has the weathered voice necessary to convey the optimistic but weary lyrics.
"I Sang The Song" was originally planned as the last cut on the album, but the decision was made to reprise Mac's first hit from 1951 (and the only song on the album written entirely by Mac himself) ""Tis Sweet To Be Remembered". Mac is joined by Alison Krauss on the choruses, a fitting end to the album.
Although these songs fit together to tell Mac's life story, the fact is that each of the songs works as a stand-alone song, a remarkable achievement indeed, I picked out two of the songs above as my favorites, but the truth is that I love all of these songs and all of the performances. Modern day country music fans may not be too familiar with bluegrass artists but the pickers and singers on this album are an elite group paying proper homage to a truly legendary performer.
Grade: A++
Album Reviews	Alison Krauss, Andrea Zonn, Becky Isaacs Bowman, Bill Monroe, Bob Dylan, Buddy Melton, Carter Stanley, Earl Scruggs, Earls of Leicester, Flatt & Scruggs, Gordon Lightfoot, Jim & Jesse, Jim Lauderdale, Jimmy Martin, John Prine, Junior Sisk, Justin Moses, Lester Flatt, Mac Wiseman, Mark Fain, Merle Haggard, Milan Miller, Molly O'Day, Osborne Brothers, Peter Cooper, Ralph Stanley, Reno & Smiley, Ronnie Bowman, Shawn Camp, Sierra Hull, Sonya Isaacs Yeary, Thomm Jutz
Album Review: Rhonda Vincent & Daryle Singletary – 'American Grandstand'
6 Comments Posted by Jonathan Pappalardo on July 6, 2017
"Traditional country music is a whole different genre," Vincent said. "A lot of people will say that there is not a market for traditional country music, but I know that is not true as it has its own niche. I did that traditional country album with Gene Watson not long ago, and I found out that there is a tremendous audience out there for traditional country music. Daryle and I have been doing shows together, and he is so much fun. When everybody hears this new album, they will know how special it is." – Rhonda Vincent discussing American Grandstand. h/t That Nashville Sound
It's hard to believe it's been six years since Your Money and My Good Looks, which helped redefine Vincent's pedigree beyond bluegrass. American Grandstand is a companion album of sorts to the project with Watson, a chance to recreate the magic all over again. Her friendship with Daryle Singletary goes back 23 years when they were labelmates on Giant Records. One of their earliest collaborations, a cover of Keith Whitley's "Would These Arms Be In Your Way," appeared on his self-titled debut album. They've collaborated frequently through the years, most recently on "We Must've Been Out of Our Minds," from Vincent's Only Me in 2014.
To say American Grandstand has been a long time coming is an understatement. With the timing finally right, they went into the studio to craft an album that mixes old and new, covers of classic duets interwoven amongst tracks newly-composed. A few of the duets may be oft-covered, but in the care of Vincent and Singletary, are as expertly executed as they've ever been. They tackle the mournful nature of "After The Fire Is Gone" with ease and extract the effervesce from "Golden Ring" without issue. "Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man" is a revelation, one of the strongest collaborative recordings I've heard in years.
They also surprise, with a stunning rendition of Merle Haggard and Bonnie Owens' lesser-known "Slowly and Surely." Also not as famous is George Jones and Tammy Wynette's "One," which the pair released in 1996. Vincent and Singletary's serviceable take is the album's lead single. Other surprises include Harlan Howard's "Above and Beyond," which they deliver flawlessly. A third Jones cover, "A Picture of Me (Without You)" is also very good. "Up This Hill and Down," which originated with The Osborne Brothers, is excellent.
The remainder of the album consists of the new songs, which include a reprise of "We Must Be Out of Our Minds." These tracks are all ballads, which varying degrees of tempo. "As We Kiss Our World Goodbye," about the end of a relationship, feels like the kind of track Singletary would've recorded back in the mid-1990s. In any other era, "Can't Live Life" would be cemented as a standard.
If you can believe it, the rest of the album only slightly pails in comparison to the title track, which showcases Vincent as a songwriter (she wrote it solo). The spellbinding ballad is a grand finale of sorts, detailing the tale of duet partners preparing for their final show and the emotions attached to such an ending. I love how Vincent presents the well-worn themes in a new and exciting light.
American Grandstand is everything you would expect from a Vincent and Singletary collaboration, yet it's even more deeply satisfying than you could even imagine. In a rare move, they actually sang together in the studio, at the instance of Singetary, who knew immediately that recording separately wasn't going to work. The pair were born to sing together, even if Vincent's power overtakes Singletary's understated charm on occasion. He sounds to me like a modern day incarnation of Whitley, with a voice that has deepened over the years. It proves that Whitley's influence continues to this day, which only makes this record even more special and essential.
I cannot recommend American Grandstand enough.
Album Reviews	Bonnie Owens, Daryle Singletary, Gene Watson, George Jones, Harlan Howard, Keith Whitley, Merle Haggard, Osborne Brothers, Rhonda Vincent, Rhonda Vincent and Daryle Singletary, Tammy Wynette
Album Review: The Judds – 'River Of Time'
2 Comments Posted by Paul W. Dennis on March 3, 2016
River Of Time, released in 1989, was the fifth of six studio albums issued by the Judds. By this time the act was becoming more centered on daughter Wynonna and material more suited to her vocal stylings.
The Judds' first four full-length albums all went to #1 on Billboard's Country Albums chart, although River Of Time would stall out at #2 (it reached #1 in Canada). Consequently the Judds had Nashville's A-Team of songwriters pitching material to them.
I do not regard this album as being especially country as the "Soap Sisters" (as Ralph Emery referred to the Judds on his early morning WSMV-TV show in the days before they hit it big) drifted more toward material suitable to Wynonna's voice. This is an interesting album, with a wide array of material.
Track by Track
"One Man Woman" (Paul Kennerley) – this is a bluesy number about what the narrator is, and what she is looking for (a one woman man). This song was released as a single and reached #8.
"Young Love (Strong Love)" (Kennerley, Kent Robbins) – often simply called "Young Love" is not to be confused with the Sonny James mega-hit of thirty-two years earlier. This song is more of a story song than was Sonny's classic. This song reached #1 as a single:
She was sitting crossed legged on a hood of a ford
Filing down her nails with a emory board
Talking to her friends about people they knew
And all of the things that young girls do
When she said you see that guy in the baseball cap
I'd like to spend some time with a boy like that
Betty said I seen him at the hardware store
I think his name is Billy, but I'm not sure
And as they talked a little while and he passed by
She smiled at him he just said "hi"
He was thinking to himself as he walked away
Man I'd like to find a girl like her someday
Young love, strong love, true love
It's a new love
Their gonna make it through the hard times
Walk those lines
Yeah these ties that bind
"Not My Baby" (Brent Maher, Mike Reid, Mack David) – this is a mid-tempo number that strides the border between jazz and blues. Quitman Dennis takes a nice turn on the clarinet and Sonny Garrish's tasteful work on the dobro accentuates the effect nicely.
"Let Me Tell You About Love" (Carl Perkins, Kennerley, Maher) – yes, that Carl Perkins. Fittingly, this up-tempo song reached #1:
Well ever since the day that time began
There's been this thing 'tween a woman and a manv We'll, I don't know but I do believe
It started in the garden with Adam and Eve
Sampson and Delilah had their fling
'Til she cut his hair and clipped his wing
It don't matter how the story's told
Love stays young it can't grow old
Let me tell you about love
About the moon and stars above
It's what we've all been dreamin' of
"Sleepless Nights" (Felice Bryant, Boudleaux Bryant) – the husband and wife team of Felice and Boudleaux Bryant were legendary songwriters writing many huge hits for the Everly Brothers as well as such country stalwarts as Carl Smith, Jimmie Dickens, Buddy Holly and The Osborne Brothers ("Rocky Top")River of Time, released in 1989, was the fifth of six studio albums issued by the Judds. By this time the act was becoming more centered on daughter Wynonna and material more suited to her vocal stylings.
The Judds first four full-length albums all went to #1 on Billboard's Country Albums chart, although River of Time would stall out at #2 (it reached #1 in Canada). Consequently the Judds had Nashville's A-Team of songwriter's pitching material to them .
I do not regard this album as being especially country as the "Soap Sisters" (as Ralph Emery referred to the Judds on his early morning WSMV-TV show in the days before they hit it big) drifted more toward material suitable to Wynonna's voice. This is an interesting album, with a wide array of material
"Sleepless Nights" (Felice Bryant, Boudleaux Bryant) – the husband and wife team of Felice and Boudleaux Bryant were legendary songwriters writing many huge hits for the Everly Brothers as well as such country stalwarts as Carl Smith, Jimmie Dickens, Buddy Holly and The Osborne Brothers ("Rocky Top"). This song apparently was written for the Everly Brothers and I remember the Everlys' recording well (I am a huge Everly Brothers fan). The Judds acquit themselves well, achieving very nice harmonies on this song. I guess it is true that there is nothing like family harmony – I very much like this recording:
Somehow through the days
I don't give in
I hide the tears
That wait within
Oh, but, then through sleepless nights
I cry again
"Water of Love" (Mark Knopfler) – I know Knopfler mostly from a duet album he cut with Chet Atkins but I understand that his band Dire Straits was hugely successful. This song definitely is not country, it is rather bluesy with a calypso beat:
High and dry in the long hot day
Lost and lonely in every way
Got the flats all around me, sky up above
Yes, I need a little water of love
I've been too long lonely and my heart feels pain
Cryin' out for some soothing rain
I believe I've taken enough
"River of Time" (John Jarvis, Naomi Judd) – the title track is a Naomi Judd co-write. The song is a slow ballad with a cocktail lounge jazz piano accompaniment to open the song and more instruments coming in thereafter. The song is nice but at four plus minutes it is too long:
Flow on, river of time
Wash away the pain and heal my mind
And leave it all far behind
Flow on river of time
"Cadillac Red" (Craig Bickhardt, Jarvis, Judd) – this song could be described neo-rockabilly. This kind of song makes for enjoyable listening but is nothing especially memorable. As an album track it serves the purpose of mixing things up after a pair of slow songs:
Well she's washed and polished
And full of high octane
Ridin' with the top down
Cruisin' in the fast land
Her red hairs blowin' bright as a flame
Cadillac Red's her name
"Do I Dare" (Don Schlitz, Bickhardt, Maher) – this song addresses the dilemma faced by many a young woman (and perhaps older women as well):
Do I dare show him lovin'?
Do I go for double or nothin'?
Do I act like I don't care?
Or, do I dare?
Do I do what my heart's sayin'?
Do I hide my love awaitin'?
Make believe that he's not there?
This girl's got a problem
She don't know what to do
If there's some way of tellin'
When a man is true
"Guardian Angels" (Schlitz, Jarvis, Judd) – 3:37 – this was the first Judds' single in six years not to reach the top ten, peaking at #16. This is a nice story song that probably wasn't a good choice for release as a single, but it is my nominee (along with "Sleepless Nights") for the best song on the album:
A hundred year old photograph stares out from a frame
And if you look real close you'll see, our eyes are just the same
I never met them face to face but I still know them well
From the stories my dear grandma would tell
Elijah was a farmer he knew how to make things grow
And Fanny vowed she'd follow him wherever he would go
As things turned out they never left their small Kentucky farm
But he kept her fed, and she kept him warm
They're my guardian angels and I know they can see
Every step I take, they are watching over me
I might not know where I'm going but I'm sure where I come from
They're my guardian angels and I'm their special one
I had heard the four singles from this album, plus my local radio station had played "Cadillac Red" a few times, so I had only heard half the album until a few weeks ago. The songs not previously heard provide a rich cornucopia of musical styles and point to Wynonna's soon to follow solo career.
I would give this album a B+, mostly because I wasn't that fond of "Water of Love" and "River of Time". The album is worth seeking out and is available digitally.
Album Reviews, Retro Reviews, Spotlight Artist	Brent Maher, Buddy Holly, Carl Perkins, Carl Smith, Chet Atkins, Craig Bickhardt, Dire Straits, Don Schlitz, Everly Brothers, Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, Jimmie Dickens, John Jarvis, Kent Robbins, Mack David, Mark Knopfler, Mike Reid, Naomi Judd, Osborne Brothers, Paul Kennerley, Quitman Dennis, Ralph Emery, Sonny Garrish, Sonny James, The Judds, Wynonna
Revelations from Music Vendor/ Record World
8 Comments Posted by Paul W. Dennis on August 13, 2015
As the 'last man standing' Billboard's country charts have taken on an almost mythical importance, yet for most of the 1940s and 1950s, Billboard did a relatively poor job in recording the history of country singles in that their various country charts only went 10-15 places deep.
Music Vendor (later Record World) started tracking country music in 1954 and immediately started tracking 55 chart places for country records, a depth of country charts Billboard wouldn't approach until 1964 when Billboard went to 50 places. For purposes of simplicity, I will always refer to Music Vendor/ Record World as 'Record World'.
Joel Whitburn's new volume Hit Country Records 1954-1982: Music Vendor/Record World performs a valuable service in restoring to the known discography of country music a staggering 1700 songs and 200 artists that Billboard failed to chronicle.
I always thought that the Wilburn Brothers had a relatively thin representation on the Billboard charts with 31 chart entries from 1954-1972, with many songs that I knew to have been at least mid-level hits not being tracked by Billboard. Turns out that the Wilburn Brothers were the poorest served of all country artists by Billboard with a staggering 30 songs not tracked by Billboard. Other artists with huge holes in their Billboard chart discographies include Hank Snow (26 songs), Eddy Arnold (23 songs), Kitty Wells (21 songs), Hank Thompson (21 songs), Johnnie & Jack (20 songs) and Ernest Tubb, Marty Robbins, Ferlin Husky and George Jones (each with 19 songs).
Among Bluegrass artists, Flatt & Scruggs pick up an extra 15 chart entries, Mac Wiseman (13), Jimmy Martin (6), Bill Monroe (4), and the Osborne Brothers (4).
There were also apparently differences in how artists were classified. Country audiences always loved Brenda Lee, Elvis Presley, George Hamilton IV and Conway Twitty, a fact Billboard somehow failed to acknowledge. After missing "Jambalaya", Billboard tracked "One Step At A Time", and then missed the next eleven consecutive Brenda Lee songs including such monsters as "Dynamite", "Sweet Nothings", "Fool #1" and "Break It To Me Gently".
The track record on Elvis was worse as Billboard failed to track "That's All Right" and "Blue Moon of Kentucky" and "Blue Suede Shoes", along with 15 more songs.
Record World tracked six George Hamilton IV singles before Billboard got around to recognizing "Before This Day Ends" as a country single. Ditto for Conway Twitty who Billboard picked up as country with "Guess My Eyes Were Bigger Than My Heart", after ten singles had already been tracked by Record World.
While most of the songs that Music Vendor/Record World picked up were second tier hits, there were some surprising Billboard misses uncovered such as the George Jones favorites "Tall Tall Trees", "Eskimo Pie" and "Nothing Can Stop Me (Loving You)". A very famous song from 1955 was Bobby Lord's 1955 hit "Hawkeye"; Billboard missed the song entirely on any of its charts, whereas Record World had it charting for twelve weeks, reaching #16.
I mentioned that approximately 200 artists show up in this book that Billboard never tracked on its country charts. These include Carl Dobkins Jr (three songs including "My Heart Is An Open Book" which Record World has as a #2 country hit, and Billboard had reach #3 pop), Pete Drake (three instrumental singles), and Buddy Holly (four singles including "Peggy Sue" and "Maybe Baby").
I've only had this fascinating book for two days and I will probably report further as time permits, but it would be remiss of me not to further examine the song that initially got me interested in charts. Yes – I do mean "Groovy Grubworm" by Harlow Wilcox and The Oakies. Cashbox had the record reach #1 on its country chart (#24 pop) for two weeks whereas Billboard had the record stall out at #42 on the country chart while reaching #30 on the pop charts. This was the biggest chart disparity ever between singles that reached #1 on either the Billboard or Cashbox country chart but not the other chart.
The record was hugely successful, selling a million copies between the US and Canadian markets (it was a top ten hit on several Canadian regional pop charts), so I was curious to see how Record World treated "Groovy Grubworm" on its country charts, recalling that Record World had the song chart higher on its pop chart (#23) than did either Cashbox or Billboard.
Drum roll please :
Record World had the song reach #3 for one week on its country chart during its thirteen week chart run.
Book Reviews, Charts	Bill Monroe, Bobby Lord, Brenda Lee, Buddy Holly, Carl Dobkins Jr, Conway Twitty, Eddy Arnold, Elvis Presley, Ernest Tubb, Fatt & Scruggs, Ferlin Husky, George Hamilton IV, George Jones, Hank Snow, Hank Thompson, Harlow Wilcox, Jimmy Martin, Joel Whitburn, Johnnie & Jack, Kitty Wells, Mac Wiseman, Marty Robbins, Osborne Brothers, Pete Drake, Wilburn Brothers
Album Review: The Gibson Brothers – 'Brotherhood'
1 Comment Posted by Occasional Hope on March 17, 2015
There's something very special about the harmonies created by two brothers. One of the best duos in modern bluegrass or country music consists of the Gibson Brothers, Leigh and Eric. in their latest release, they pay tribute to some of the great fraternal partnerships of the past, and the result is sublime.
Their version of the Everly Brothers' big pop hit 'Bye Bye Love' is darker and more melancholy than the perky original, drawing on the implicit sadness of the Felice/Boudleaux Bryant lyric. Another Everlys cut, 'Crying In The Rain' showcases the pair's compelling vocals on a tune written by iconic pop singer-songwriter Carole King.
The haunting 'Long Time Gone' (also once recorded by the Everlys) is another standout. The similarly titled but pacier 'Long Gone' comes from the same writer, Leslie York of the York Brothers, a sibling duo active in the 1940s and 50s.
'The Sweetest Gift', a beautiful story about a mother visiting a prisoner son, has been recorded by everyone from the Blue Sky Boys in the 40s to the Judds. The Gibson Brothers' version is wonderful, imbued with the tenderness and desperation of the mother's love for her "erring, but precious son", and stands up against any of the previous versions, with an interesting arrangement of their harmonies. 'Eastbound Train' also deals with a prisoner's loved one, and is a traditionally styled ballad telling the sweetly sentimental story of a little girl taking the train to seek a pardon for her father, who is not only in prison but also blind. The conductor is moved by her sad story and lets her travel for free.
Also very much in traditional vein, the Louvin Brothers' melancholy 'Seven Year Blues' is outstanding.
'I'm Troubled, I'm Troubled' picks up the pace with a jaundiced lyric, while the perky 'Sweet Little Miss Blue Eyes' brightens the mood. A tender 'It'll Be Her' (a hit for Tompall and the Glaser Brothers) is gorgeous.
The Gibsons are joined by Ronnie Reno, a onetime member of the Osborne Brothers' band, to sing 'Each Season Changes You', a pretty plaintive song popularised by the latter. Reno also helps out on the upbeat 'How Mountain Girls Can Love'.
'I Have Found The Way' is traditional bluegrass gospel, written by Bill Monroe's brother Charlie and recorded by the Monroes in 1937,before Bill invented bluegrass as a discrete genre. Ronnie and Rob McCoury join the Gibsons on a sincere 'What A Wonderful Savior Is He'. The lesser known 'An Angel With Blue Eyes' anticipates reunion in heaven with a loved one, an dis sung with commitment.
The combination of compelling harmonies and great songs, backed by tasteful bluegrass arrangements make this an essential putrchase.
Album Reviews	Bill Monroe, Blue Sky Boys, Boudleaux Bryant, Carole King, Charlie Monroe, Everly Brothers, Felice Bryant, Gibson Brothers, Leslie York, Louvin Brothers, Osborne Brothers, Rob McCoury, Ronnie McCoury, Ronnie Reno, The Judds, Tompall and the Glaser Brothers, York Brothers
Album Review: Alison Krauss & Union Station – 'Two Highways'
Leave a comment Posted by Razor X on November 6, 2013
Alison Krauss' contract with Rounder required her to alternate her solo albums with collaborations with her band. Two Highways is the first album under that arrangement credited to Alison Krauss & Union Station. Released in 1989 at a time when bluegrass was still largely regarded as country music's red-headed stepchild, it is by and large a traditional affair. It has little of the genre envelope-pushing for which Alison would later become known, though it is a softer and more polished sound than was typical of bluegrass up to that time. It was produced by Bill Vorndick. Guest artist Jerry Douglas plays dobro along with regular band members Jeff White, Mike Harman, and John Pennell.
Even though she shares the spotlight with her band members, Alison — who was still only 18 years old when the album was released — is the glue that holds everything together. She plays fiddle throughout the album and sings lead vocals on the majority of the tracks, sounding at times like a young Dolly Parton. The similarity to Dolly is most apparent on the Larry Cordle-penned title track and Todd Rakestraw's "I'm Alone Again".
Bass player John Pennell, who contributed much of the material to Alison's solo album Too Late To Cry, supplies three tracks here: "Love You In Vain", "Here Comes Goodbye" and "As Lovely As You", one of the highlights of the album which features Jeff White singing lead vocals with some lovely backing vocals from Alison. Two instrumental numbers – the traditional "Beaumont Rag" and Kenny Baker's "Windy City Rag" allow the band to shine. The album's best track is "Teardrops Will Kiss The Morning Dew", a cover of an old Osborne Brothers song, and the most unusual is a remake of the Allman Brothers' "Midnight Rider", which works surprisingly well with a bluegrass arrangement.
Two Highways did not produce any hit singles, nor did it make the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. It garnered little attention outside the world of bluegrass, but it did receive a Grammy nomination for Best Bluegrass Album in 1990 and it is one of the albums upon which future star Alison Krauss built her reputation.
Album Reviews, Single Reviews, Spotlight Artist	Alison Krauss, Allman Brothers, Bill Vorndick, Dolly Parton, Jeff White, Jerry Douglas, John Pennell, Kenny Baker, Larry Cordle, Mike Harman, Osborne Brothers, Union Station
Country Heritage: Jean Shepard
You gaze at that guitar on your knee
In a way that you never look at me
This love affair of yours has gone too far
And I'm tired of playing second fiddle to an old guitar
— From "Second Fiddle (To an Old Guitar)," Capitol Records, 1964
Kitty Wells may have been the reigning Queen of Country Music during the 1950s, but in the eyes of many (including myself) Jean Shepard had at least as good a claim to the title. Whereas Kitty Wells, after the uncharacteristically defiant "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels," reverted back to songs of domestic bliss and of being the "wronged woman," Jean Shepard kept pushing the boundaries for female country singers. Jean may not have pushed things as far as Loretta Lynn did during the late 1960s and 70s, but she laid the groundwork for Loretta and those to follow. Among Europeans, whose tastes in country music run to more traditional sounds, many regard her as the greatest of all female country singers, a sentiment that was echoed by such leading British county music journalists as Pat Campbell, Bob Powell, and David Allen. While I don't regard Shepard quite that highly, on my personal list of the greatest female country singers of all time, she would be in my top three (greatest, as opposed to most popular or most influential) singers. During her peak years (roughly 1953-75) she was a definite force of nature
Born Ollie Imogene Shepard on November 21, 1933 in Oklahoma, she was the child of parents who moved to Bakersfield, California, as a result of the Dust Bowl that engulfed the midwest during the 1930s. Since Shepard has been staunchly performing modern traditional country music for over sixty years, it seems only fitting that she grew up and started her career in the area surrounding Bakersfield, California.
Jean began her career as a bass player in the Melody Ranch Girls, an all-female band formed in 1948. Not long thereafter, she came to the attention of Hank Thompson, who, impressed by her talents, helped her get a record deal with Capitol Records–where she worked with Thompson's producer, Ken Nelson. At the time she inked her deal, Shepard was still a teenager.
On her Capitol recordings, Shepard was a honky-tonker whose hard-core sound could rival any of her male counterparts. While her first single "Crying Steel Guitar Waltz" failed to chart, it showed enough promise for Capitol to team her with another promising singer, Ferlin Husky, for the 1953 chart-topper "A Dear John Letter," a song which resonated with many returning Korean War veterans. After this, the solo hits started coming with "Beautiful Lies" and "A Satisfied Mind" being among the biggest hits of 1955 ( "A Satisfied Mind" was also a major hit for Porter Wagoner and Red Foley, but after you've heard Jean Shepard's version, you will forget about the others).
Along the way, Shepard became a part of Red Foley's Ozark Jubilee (broadcast from Springfield, MO on ABC TV) from 1955 to 1957, and she was inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1956, where she has remained a member to this day. It was during this period that Jean released what may have been country music's first album centered around a theme in Songs of a Love Affair. Shepard had a hand in writing all twelve songs on this album.
She continued to have hits throughout the fifties and sixties, although like many other traditional country singers her hits became increasingly smaller as rock 'n roll and the Nashville sound came into prominence. Lost in the shuffle were such excellent singles as "Act Like A Married Man," "Tomorrow I'll Be Gone," "I Used To Love You," and "Have Heart, Will Love."
In 1960 Shepard married Hawkshaw Hawkins, a minor star whose forte was his live stage shows rather than recording success. Jean was pregnant with his son Hawkshaw Hawkins, Jr. at the time of the 1963 plane crash that claimed Hawkins' life (as well as those of Lloyd "Cowboy" Copas and Patsy Cline).
After her son's birth, Shepard dealt with the tragedy of her husband's death by pouring herself back into her career. In 1964 she rebounded back near the top of the charts with the feisty "Second Fiddle (To an Old Guitar)," a song which spotlighted her yodeling ability. The next few years would produce more hits including "Seven Lonely Days," "Many Happy Hangovers To You," and a rare ballad "Another Lonely Night." She also teamed up with Ray Pillow for several duets, including the big hit "I'll Take the Dog" in 1966.
Between 1965 and 1970 Shepard charted fifteen Top 40 hits. Eventually, though, Capitol –- blessed with a deep roster that included Wanda Jackson, Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, Glen Campbell and Sonny James –quit pushing her recordings to radio.
A switch to United Artists (UA) in 1973 re-ignited her career as her first single for the label, the Bill Anderson-penned "Slippin' Away," went to #4 Billboard /#1 Cashbox /#1 Record World , and was followed by such great singles as "At The Time," "I'll Do Anything It Takes (To Stay With You)," "Poor Sweet Baby," "Tip of My Fingers," and "Another Neon Night." One of her UA albums, Poor Sweet Baby, was composed entirely of songs written by Bill Anderson. Shepard remained with UA for five years. Since then she has recorded only occasionally for various minor labels.
Along the way, Shepard married Benny Birchfield, (best known for his tenor harmonies during his tenure with the Osborne Brothers bluegrass group). She also served as president of the Association of Country Entertainers, the perfect spokesperson for this very traditionalist organization.
In 2010, Jean was inducted into the Oklahoma Country Music Hall of Fame. Then in 2011, Jean was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, an honor three decades overdue.
Jean Shepard has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1955 and continues to perform regularly on the Grand Old Opry where she is indeed, the "Grand Lady of the Opry," and a national treasure. She also tours occasionally, (in the past she sometimes performed with her son Hawkshaw Hawkins, Jr. but I haven't heard much about him recently). She's lost a little off her vocal 'chops' over the course of time, but even 85% of Jean Shepard is a lot more than 100% of most singers.
Capitol Records issued twenty-one albums on Jean Shepard from 1956 to 1975 (one of these was a duet album with Ray Pillow) plus there were some budget reissues released on the Hilltop label. United Artists issued five albums plus a Greatest Hits collection from 1973 to 1976.
Albums on either Capitol or United Artist will capture Jean at the peak of her vocal prowess. Later albums will still catch Jean in good voice but with less care given to the accompaniment and production, although the album Stars of the Grand Ole Opry issued in 1981 on Pete Drake's First Generation Records, is a pretty good effort.
CD / Digital
The CD catalog for Shepard isn't what it should be, although the Bear Family boxed set titled Melody Ranch Girl is available. The folks at Collector's Choice Music described it thus, "151 legendary Capitol sides from the woman who broke through the thick gender barrier in country music without looking back! This is everything Jean recorded from 1952–1964—from 'A Dear John Letter' up through 'Second Fiddle (to an Old Guitar)'—including her landmark album Songs of a Love Affair, the first concept album recorded by a female country artist, plus her Got You on My Mind, Lonesome Love and Heartaches and Tears albums. A 36-page book with a newly researched biography, discography and rare photos completes the story."
For folks wanting to sample Jean's work without shelling out over $100, there are some decent alternatives available.
The Ernest Tubb Record Shop currently lists nine titles available, including the above-mentioned Melody Ranch Girl boxed set and the CD version of Stars of the Grand Ole Opry and an outstanding two disc set released recently by the UK label Jasmine titled The First Lady of Country, which is composed of four of Jean's early Capitol albums (Songs of A Love Affair, Lonesome Love, This Is Jean Shepard, and Got You On My Mind).
I am not sure of the vintage of the recordings on the other sets available from Ernest Tubb, but if you call them, the folks taking your order often can give useful information.
The Country Music Foundation in 1995 issued the stellar Jean Shepard: Honky-Tonk Heroine, which has 24 songs taken from her tenure at Capitol. It may still be possible to obtain this disc. That same year Castle Communications (Australasia) issued A Satisfied Mind which has 26 tracks (17 Capitol recordings and 9 United Artist recordings)– this is the only set (of which I am aware) that contains original United Artist recordings.
Other collections available are of uncertain vintage. Jean has issued some CDs herself (Jean, Personal Favorites, and perhaps other titles) that are often remakes but contain some song titles otherwise unavailable. I have several of these discs and they are worth obtaining.
Amazon (and probably other sites, as well) have some of Jean's music available as digital downloads. The available music appears to be a mixed bag of originals and remakes but fortunately you can hear samples before purchasing. While recording quality can vary, there are no bad Jean Shepard vocal performances on any of the recordings that I've heard.
Country Heritage, Opry Legends	Benny Birchfield, Bill Anderson, Bob Powell, Buck Owens, Cowboy Copas, David Allen, Ferlin Husky, Glen Campbell, Hank Thompson, Hawkshaw Hawkins, Hawkshaw Hawkins Jr., Jean Shepard, Ken Nelson, Kitty Wells, Loretta Lynn, Melody Ranch Girls, Merle Haggard, Osborne Brothers, Pat Campbell, Patsy Cline, Porter Wagoner, Ray Pillow, Red Foley, Sonny James, Wanda Jackson
Abum Review: Rhonda Vincent – 'One Step Ahead'
One Step Ahead was Rhonda's 2003 release for Rounder and the first of her albums to really showcase her skills as a songwriter. As always, Rhonda is accompanied by a fine cast of supporting musicians including such aces as Aubrey Haynie (mandolin), Bryan Sutton (guitar), Ronnie Stewart (banjo), Stewart Duncan (fiddle) and brother Darrin Vincent (bass).
The album opens up with "Kentucky Borderline", a fine breakdown composed by Ms Vincent and Terry Herd. You could describe this one as a train song in the finest tradition of Hank Snow, Jimmie Rodgers and Roy Acuff. The great vocal harmonies on this track are supplied by Jamie Dailey and brother Darrin.
"You Can't Take It With You" is a gentle ballad from the pens of Curtis Wright and T.J. Knight about a love possibly about to disintegrate slowly.
I'll give you my love
For the rest of my life
But I want to make sure you know
You can't take it with you when you go
This song was released as a single to radio, reaching #58.
"One Step Ahead of The Blues" is another Vincent & Herd composition, an up-tempo tune featuring Alison Krauss on harmony vocals. This song probably should have been released as a single. Instead it was the second song on a CD single of "If Heartaches Had Wings" (a song not on this album) released in 2004.
Another Vincent/Herd composition is "Caught In The Crossfire" a rather sad story of divorce as seen through the eyes of a child
I'm caught in the crossfire
Of a world that's so unkind
I love 'em both but I can't choose
Which one to leave behind
"Ridin' The Red Line" is the song of a truck driver's homecoming. Another Vincent/Herd composition, the song is noteworthy for the fine mandolin work by Aubrey Haynie with augmented mandolin fills by Cody Kilby.
Webb Pierce, June Hazelwood and Wayne Walker share the songwriting credits on an oldie, "Pathway of Teardrops". This song has been recorded by many artists, but this version is very reminiscent of the Osborne Brothers recording of the song some years earlier.
The great female vocalist Melba Montgomery supplied "An Old Memory Found Its Way Back". While Montgomery wasn't a bluegrass artist, I've found that her songs lead themselves to bluegrass interpretations. This is a great ballad sung to perfection by Rhonda Vincent.
I don't know much about Jennifer Strickland but she sure can write a pretty ballad, this one titled "Missouri Moon" about a love that has come to its end.
Who ever thought I'd be so blue
As I cry beneath that old Missouri moon
As I asked in a prior review, what would a bluegrass album be without a religious song? Much poorer for its absence, so Rhonda has chosen the old Stoney Cooper and Wilma Lee classic "Walking My Lord Up Calvary's Hill. No version will ever replace the Stoney & Wilma Lee version in my heart, but Ms. Vincent's version comes close, with Darrin Vincent contributing an excellent guitar solo and harmony vocals.
Another religious song follows, this one penned by Becky Buller, "Fishers Of Men". This song is performed a cappella by Rhonda Vincent with Darrin Vincent, Mickey Harris and Eric Wilson providing the harmony vocals. This is my favorite track on the album.
Cast your nets aside
And join the battle tide
He will be your guide
To make you fishers of men
Molly Cherryholmes composed the instrumental "Frankie Belle", the only tune on the album to feature Rhonda's own mandolin playing.
The album closes with a short rendition of "The Martha White Theme", a tune long associated with Flatt & Scruggs, whose portion of the Grand Ole Opry was sponsored by Martha White for decades.
One Step Ahead is a very entertaining album and shows Rhonda as a fully realized artist. I'd give it an A. The strength of this album's songs is demonstrated by the fact that six of these songs would be reprised in her very next album Ragin' Live.
Everything Else	Alison Krauss, Aubrey Haynie, Becky Buller, Bryan Sutton, Cody Kilby, Curtis Wright, Darrin Vincent, Eric Wilson, Flatt & Scruggs, Hank Snow, Jamie Dailey, Jennifer Strickland, Jimmie Rodgers, June Hazelwood, Melba Montgomery, Mickey Harris, Molly Cherryholmes, Osborne Brothers, Rhonda Vincent, Ronnie Stewart, Roy Acuff, Stewart Duncan, Stoney Cooper, Terry Herd, Wayne Walker, Webb Pierce, Wilma Lee Cooper
Favorite country songs of the 1970s: Part 6
3 Comments Posted by Paul W. Dennis on February 21, 2012
For part six of this series, as always, just some songs I liked, one song per artist, not necessarily the biggest hit, (although I feel free to comment on other songs by the artist).
"Forgive and Forget" – Eddie Rabbitt (1975)
Prior to this, Eddie was known, if at all, as a songwriter. This record got to #12, but did better than that in some markets, and gave Rabbitt his first significant hit. The next song "I Should Have Married You" got to #11; after that the next 33 singles would crack the top 10 with 19 of them getting to #1 on either Billboard and/or Cashbox.
"Ladies Love Outlaws" – Jimmy Rabbitt and Renegade (1976)
The title track of a 1972 Waylon Jennings album, for some reason RCA never issued the song as a Jennings single, although it got considerable airplay (it didn't chart because Billboard did not track non-singles airplay at the time). Jimmy's version was good (Waylon's was better) and got to #80, his only chart appearance.
"Ain't She Something Else" – Eddy Raven (1975)
Eddy's second chart single reached #46 and became a #1 record for Conway Twitty in 1982. It took Raven eight years and 16 singles to have his first top 10 hit. Can you imagine any artist being given that much slack today
"Whatcha Gonna Do With A Dog Like That" – Susan Raye (1975)
Susan Raye had the Buck Owens organization behind her, was very pretty, and sang well. Despite those advantages, she never really became a big star, probably because her heart wasn't in it. This song got to #9, one of six solo top tens she was to enjoy. In theory "(I've Got A) Happy Heart" was her biggest hit, reaching #3, but she got so much pop radio action on "L.A. International Airport" that it sold a million copies.
Everything Else, Playlist	Bert Williams, Bill Rice, Bobby G Rice, Bobby Goldsboro, Bobby Russell, Buck Owens, Charlie Rich, Chet Atkins, Conway Twitty, Cristy Lane, David Rogers, Del Reeves, Don Reno, Earl Scruggs, Eddie Rabbitt, Eddy Raven, Everly Brothers, George Strait, Glen Campbell, Hank Cochran, Hillman Hall, Jack Reno, Jeannie C. Riley, Jeannie Seely, Jerry Reed, Jim Reeves, Jimmy Rabbitt, John Ritter, John Wesley Ryles, Johnny Rodriguez, Kenny Rogers, Kenny Serratt, Linda Ronstadt, Lowell Haggard, Marilyn Sellars, Marty Robbins, Merle Haggard, O. C. Smith, Osborne Brothers, Phil Harris, Ray Sanders, Renegade, Roger Miller, Ronnie Reno, Ronnie Sessions, Roy Rogers, Sonny & Cher, Sue Richards, Susan Raye, Tex Ritter, The Carter Family, Vanity Fare, Vickie Lawrence, Waylon Jennings
For part five of this series, as always, just some songs I liked, one song per artist, not necessarily the biggest hit, (although I feel free to comment on other songs by the artist).
"Let's All Go Down To The River" – Jody Miller & Johnny Paycheck (1972)
A nice country cover of an old gospel song – how could you go wrong with this duo? Jody Miller would have a number of hits during the 1970s, although her single biggest record was in 1965 when "Queen of The House" (an answer song to Roger Miller's "King of The Road") went #12 pop / #5 country. I don't know that Jody viewed herself as a country singer, but she had a sassy & sexy voice and was quite easy on the eyes.
"Tom Green County Fair" – Roger Miller (1970)
Roger Miller's career had largely run out of steam by this time, but the imagery in this song makes it one of my favorites. Alas, this song only reached #38. Roger would experience a significant renaissance in the mid-1980s writing the music for the Broadway play Big River.
"Music Box Dancer" – Frank Mills (1979)
I have no idea why this song charted country as Frank Mills was an orchestra leader and this instrumental song was no more country than Lady Gaga. It was a huge pop hit reaching #3 and selling millions in the process.
"Pure Love" – Ronnie Milsap (1974)
Written by Eddie Rabbitt, this was Ronnie's first #1. How can you not like a song that contains a line like "Milk and honey and Captain Krunch and you in the morning?"
Playlist	Anita Bryant, Anne Murray, Billy Parker, Buck Owens, Charley Pride, Charlie Louvin, Connie Eaton, Curtis Potter, Darrell McCall, Dave Peel, Dickey Lee, Dolly Parton, Don Gibson, Eddie Rabbitt, Eddy Arnold, Elvis Presley, Everly Brothers, Frank Mills, Gene Austin, George Jones, George Morgan, George Strait, Jane Morgan, Jeanne Pruett, Jim Nesbitt, Jimmy Ellis, Jody Miller, Johnny Bush, Johnny Cash, Johnny Paycheck, Johnny Preston, Kenny O'Dell, Kenny Price, Little Roy Wiggins, Lloyd Price, Loretta Lynn, Marie Osmond, Marty Robbins, Mayf Nutter, Melba Montgomery, Michael Martin Murphey, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Olivia Newton-John, Orion, Osborne Brothers, Patti Page, Peggy Sue, Price Mitchell, Ray Price, Rick Nelson, Ricky Nelson, Roger Miller, Ronnie Milsap, Roy Acuff, Sandy Posey, Sonny James, Stella Parton, The Oak Ridge Boys, Tommy Overstreet, Tony Booth, Vernon Oxford, Webb Pierce, Willie Nelson
25 Greatest Live Country Albums
17 Comments Posted by Paul W. Dennis on December 28, 2011
All readers of this website are fans of recorded music. I would assume that most also enjoy seeing and hearing music performed live. After all, there is electricity which permeates a live performance, the interaction of performer and audience coupled with the ambiance of the venue. Tempos are usually faster, there is banter between the performer and the band and/or audience, and often songs are performed that never are recorded by the artist.
That said, it can be very difficult to capture that electricity and the landscape is littered with poor live recordings, victims of either poor recording technology, poor venue acoustics or sub-par backing bands (I had a cassette copy – probably a bootleg – of a live Chuck Berry performance in France where he was backed by what was essentially a polka band, complete with tuba and accordion). Below is my listing of the greatest live country albums. My list is solid country, without too many fellow travelers such as Americana or alt-country artists. I may admire John Prine and Townes Van Zandt as songwriters but I cannot stand to listen to either of them sing. The less said about the Eagles and Gram Parsons, the better. In putting my list together, I've limited any given artist to one album, although I may comment on other live albums issued by the artist.
Yes, I know that bluegrass and western swing are underrepresented in my list as are modern era artists, although if I expanded to a top forty list, I'd have albums by Alabama, Tracy Lawrence, Tom T. Hall, Brad Paisley, The Osborne Brothers, Glen Campbell, Bob Wills, Hank Thompson, Rhonda Vincent and Hank Williams to include. Moreover, over time there have been improvements in recording technology and the sound of live recordings has improved, so sonically, some of the albums I've left off will sound better than some I've included.
Album Reviews, Playlist	Alabama, Alison Krauss, Bill Monroe, Bob Wills, Bobby Bare, Brad Paisley, Buck Owens, Buddy Emmons, Charley Pride, Chuck Berry, Conway Twitty, Dan Tyminski, Dixie Chicks, Don Adams, Don Rich, Eddy Arnold, Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris, Ernest Tubb, Flatt & Scruggs, Garth Brooks, George Jones, Glen Campbell, Glen Sherley, Gram Parsons, Hank Thompson, Hank Williams, Hank Williams Jr, Henry Haynes, Homer & Jethro, Jan Kurtis, Jay Dee Maness, Jerry Wiggins, Jim Reeves, Joe South, John Conlee, John Denver, John Prine, Johnny Bush, Johnny Cash, Kenneth Burns, Lawrence Welk, Leon McAuliffe, Lester Flatt, Lloyd Green, Merle Haggard, Osborne Brothers, Patsy Cline, Paul McCartney, Pop Stoneman, Ray Price, Rhonda Vincent, Ricky Skaggs, Ron Block, Roy Clark, Rufus Thibodeaux, Shel Silverstein, Shoji Tabuchi, Sonny James, Steve Earle, The Eagles, The Stoneman Family, Tom T Hall, Townes Van Zandt, Tracy Lawrence, Union Station, Wade Ray, Waylon Jennings, Webb Pierce, Willie Nelson
Classic Rewind: The Osborne Brothers – 'Rocky Top'
Leave a comment Posted by Occasional Hope on August 9, 2011
Classic Rewind, Country Heritage	Osborne Brothers
Country Heritage: Sonny & Bobby, The Osborne Brothers
1 Comment Posted by Paul W. Dennis on August 9, 2011
Bluegrass and Modern Country Music – kissin' cousins or estranged relations ? Although they claim common ancestry (Ernest Tubb, Gene Autry and Bill Monroe were all hugely influenced by Jimmie Rodgers, and many others were influenced by the Original Carter Family), it has been many years since modern country and bluegrass music split off in different directions from their acoustic string band origins. Up until the end of the 1960s you could hear bluegrass played by some country radio stations (most frequently by smaller stations located in more rural areas), and artists such as Jimmie Skinner, the Willis Brothers, Lee Moore, Grandpa Jones and Frank "Hylo" Brown straddled the two genres. Mainstream artists such as Skeeter Davis, Carl Smith, Porter Wagoner and the duo of George Jones & Melba Montgomery would record albums of bluegrass songs. By the end of the 1960s, however, bluegrass was nearly extinct on country radio. True, there were a few songs, usually associated with movies ("Foggy Mountain Breakdown," "Dueling Banjos") or television shows ("The Ballad of Jed Clampett"), which achieved some airplay, but those were few and far between.
Today bluegrass is largely banished from country radio. Yes, various performers such as Keith Urban or Rascal Flatts will gratuitously drop a banjo or a mandolin into their songs, but their music isn't bluegrass. Yes, artists such as Alison Krauss or Rhonda Vincent will occasionally grace a Nashville artist's album as a duet partner for a song or two, but those songs really aren't bluegrass either. And yes, the soundtrack to Oh Brother, Where Art Thou, sold millions of copies – but how often did your local country station play any of the songs from the soundtrack?
The last bluegrass act regularly to receive country radio airplay was the duo of banjo player Roland "Sonny" Osborne (born 10/29/37) and his mandolin-playing brother, Bobby Osborne (born 12/9/1931). Sonny and Bobby were born in Hyden, Kentucky, but when Sonny was very young, the family moved near Dayton, Ohio where they had their first experiences as performers. As children, their father instilled a love for traditional music. Bobby picked up the electric guitar as a teenager and played in various local bands. A few years after his brother began playing the guitar, Sonny picked up the banjo. Both were greatly influenced by the likes of Ernest Tubb, Roy Acuff, Alton & Rabon Delmore and Bill Monroe.
Being six years older, Bobby was first out of the gate. During the autumn of 1949, he and friend/banjoist Larry Richardson joined the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers. This effectively changed the band from Delmore Brothers sound-alikes into a pioneering bluegrass band. They recorded a number of sides together including the original version of "Pain In My Heart."
In 1950, 13 year old Sonny joined his brother in the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers. Following his tenure with the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers, Bobby joined forces with Jimmy Martin to form a band called the 'Sunny Mountain Boys'. Following the breakup with Martin, Bobby briefly joined the Stanley Brothers, singing high baritone above Carter's lead and Ralph's tenor. Unfortunately, before this trio was able to record, Bobby was drafted into the military in November of 1951.
During Bobby's military service Sonny continued his musical career. During the summers of 1952 and 1953, Sonny played banjo for Bill Monroe. Also, Sonny recorded a number of singles for small record labels such as Kentucky and Gateway. I do not know how many sides were released by Gateway, but I am aware of at least forty-two songs being recorded, featuring Sonny on banjo and vocals, Carlos Brock on guitar and vocals, Billy Thomas on fiddle, Smokey Ward on bass and Enos Johnson on mandolin and vocals.
In late 1953, Bobby & Sonny teamed up with Jimmy Martin and performed on a local Detroit radio station billed as "Jimmy Martin and The Osborne Brothers." Bobby & Sonny lasted two years with the mercurial Martin, during which time they recorded a few singles for RCA. They left in 1956 to work with Charlie Bailey on the WWVA Big Jamboree in Wheeling, West Virginia, where they would stay for four years. A few months later they joined forces with lead singer Harley "Red" Allen and formed their own band–thereafter becoming known as the Osborne Brothers.
Shortly after joining forces with Red Allen, The Osborne Brothers signed a deal with MGM records. Their fifth single for MGM, "Once More," reached #13 in 1958. While no more singles charted nationally for MGM (many of their records were regional hits), the Osborne Brothers continued to record, refining their sound. Red Allen left the group after the first album, but Sonny & Bobby soldiered onward, with other outstanding vocalists such as Benny Birchfield helping complete the harmony trios. They would record three more albums for MGM before leaving for Decca in late 1963. Many of these albums included songs that would later become hits when re-recorded for Decca.
The Decca years found Sonny and Bobby experimenting with the instrumentation of their music. They experimented slowly at first, using an electric bass, then added additional instruments such as steel guitar and piano, and Sonny's own creation, the electric six-string banjo. The hybrid country bluegrass sound proved quite popular with fans and disc jockeys alike. They were soon booked on the major country package shows of the day. With their voices being featured on their own major label recordings and on others from Conway Twitty to Bill Monroe, their name became synonymous with harmony singing. From 1966 to 1976, the Osborne Brothers would chart 16 times. While none of these songs were huge national hits, the records sold well and were mostly huge hits in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic areas. Several of their songs such as "Ruby (Are You Mad)," "Roll Muddy River," "Son of A Sawmill Man" and "Rocky Top" became bluegrass standards, with the latter even being designated as an official Tennessee State song.
The Osborne Brothers were inducted as members of the Grand Ole Opry in 1964. They were voted as the CMA's "Vocal Group of the Year" in 1971, and received nominations in the category in 1970, 1974 and 1975. From 1971-1978 they were honored by Music City News as the nation's top bluegrass group. Along the way, they became one of the first major bluegrass groups to appear extensively at bluegrass festivals.
The eighteenth (and last) charted single for Sonny & Bobby was "I Can Hear Kentucky Calling Me" in early 1980, which peaked at #75. By 1980, the chasm between the sound of bluegrass and modern country music had grown too deep for bluegrass to get any airplay on country radio. Ricky Skaggs would have considerable success on country radio during the years just ahead, but the records that charted well for Skaggs were far less grassy than the hybrids that the Osborne Brothers had been charting in the 1960s and 1970s.
Following their departure from Decca/MCA in 1975, The Osborne Brothers signed with Country Music Heritage (CMH) records and gradually reverted to traditional bluegrass instrumentation and have stayed there ever since. The Osborne Brothers were inducted into the International Bluegrass Music's Hall of Honor (the genre's equivalent to the Country Music Hall of Fame) in 1994 and were elected to the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame in 2002.
He Osborne Brothers continued to perform until Sonny Osborne retired from performing in 2005 after a shoulder operation affected his ability to play the banjo. Bobby Osborne continues to perform to this day, with Rocky Top X-Press, the band he formed after Sonny's retirement. At 79 years of age, Bobby still tours – his busy schedule can be checked out on his website www.bobbyosborne.com .
The Osborne Brothers were pioneers in being among the first bluegrass groups (possibly the first bluegrass group) to include modern country instruments such as drums, electric bass, electric guitar, electric banjo, guitjo (a banjo neck on a guitar body) and steel guitar into bluegrass music. Many other acts would follow suit, even traditionally oriented groups such as Jim & Jesse McReynolds. Perhaps of greater importance was the vocal trio style created by the Osborne Brothers in conjunction with Red Allen, sometimes dubbed as "inverted stacked harmony". This sound, unique and electrifying, featured Bobby singing a high lead line, Sonny singing baritone, and finally Red Allen singing the tenor as the lowest part. Although Red left after the first MGM album, subsequent vocalist such as Benny Birchfield , Dale Sledd and others kept the excitement going, setting a pattern many other groups,both bluegrass and modern country tried to duplicate, although few with such panache.
The Osborne Brothers recorded four albums for MGM and 14 albums for Decca/MCA during the vinyl era. All of these records are worthwhile. If you found all 18 of the albums and played them chronologically you would hear a detailed history of the evolution of bluegrass music as the Osborne Brothers occasionally strayed into "newgrass" before the term was invented. The Decca/MCA albums are especially interesting as the Osborne Brothers covered many classic country songs as well as contemporary country material.
Unfortunately, little of the classic MGM and Decca/MCA material is available on CD, except for on two terrific (and quite expensive) boxed sets issued by Bear Family which contain all of the MGM and Decca/MCA material.
Leaving MCA/Decca after 1975, the Osborne Brothers joined the tradition-oriented Country Music Heritage (CMH) label, issuing at least ten albums for CMH, including a wonderful double album with Mac Wiseman. The CMH albums straddle the vinyl, cassette and CD eras, so you may find those albums in any or all of those formats.
Four albums were issued on Sugar Hill and five on Pinecastle. The Pinecastle albums all were issued on CD, however, only Once More, Volumes 1 & 2 were released on CD by Sugar Hill.
There was a live album issued on RCA in April 1982 titled Bluegrass Spectacular. This album, recorded in October 1981 at Opryland's Theater By The Lake, features the Osborne Brothers with guests the Lewis Family and Mac Wiseman. Hairl Hensley and Roy Acuff do the opening introductions. For this performance, Paul Brewster sings the additional harmony Hal Rug plays steel guitar and former Texas Troubadour Leon Rhodes plays electric lead guitar. As far as I know this is the only RCA album, although RCA Camden issued something in 1968 called Bluegrass Banjo Pickers which has a few Sonny Osborne tracks (I've never seen the actual album)
The Ernest Tubb Record Shop currently has available both of the Bear Family Box Sets at $99.98 each. If you are a diehard fan, it's definitely worth the money to buy these, but for the casual fan, they are overkill. It is possible (sometimes) to find these sets for less money on sites such as www.overstock.com and www.countysales.com . Also you may be able to find used sets on sites such as www.musicstack.com .
The only other CD available covering the Decca/MCA years is titled Country Bluegrass. It sells for $9.98 and has ten of their chart hits including "Rocky Top," "Roll Muddy River" and "Ruby (Are You Mad)." It's inadequate, but essential.
ET has eleven more titles available, all of which come from post-1975. They do have the terrific Essential Bluegrass Album (with Mac Wiseman) which was a double album with 24 songs.
ET also has available six solo albums that Bobby Osborne has issued plus an album with Jesse McReynolds titled Masters of The Mandolin. I have several of Bobby's solo albums – they are good but something was definitely lost from the vocal blend when Sonny retired. Moreover, Bobby has lost some of his upper range over the years, especially on the more recent albums and when he performs some of the old Osborne Brothers classics, he has had to do them in lower keys. This point was brought home by Bobby's performance on the Opry in July 2011, where Bobby has clearly changed the chord progression on the chorus of "Rocky Top" to make it easier to sing.
Currently www.bobbyosborne.com has six of Bobby's solo albums available for sale as well as ten Osborne Brothers CDs and two DVDs of the Osborne Brothers in concert.
Country Heritage	Alison Krauss, Alton Delmore, Benny Birchfield, Bill Monroe, Billy Thomas, Bobby Osborne, Carl Smith, Carlos Brock, Carter Stanley, Charlie Bailey, Conway Twitty, Dale Sledd, Delmore Brothers, Enos Johnson, Ernest Tubb, Frank "Hylo" Brown, Gene Autry, George Jones, Grandpa Jones, Hairl Hensley, Hal Rug, Harley "Red" Allen, Jim & Jesse McReynolds, Jimmie Rodgers, Jimmie Skinner, Jimmy Martin, Keith Urban, Larry Richardson, Lee Moore, Leon Rhodes, Lewis Family, Lonesome Pine Fiddlers, Mac Wiseman, Melba Montgomery, Osborne Brothers, Paul Brewster, Porter Wagoner, Rabon Delmore, Ralph Stanley, Rascal Flatts, Rhonda Vincent, Ricky Skaggs, Rocky Top X-Press, Roy Acuff, Skeeter Davis, Smokey Ward, Sonny Osborne, Stanley Brothers, Sunny Mountain Boys, The Carter Family, Willis Brothers
Album Review: Amber Digby – 'Another Way To Live'
6 Comments Posted by Occasional Hope on December 22, 2009
Amber Digby has earned herself a reputation as one of the finest young singers of traditional country music. Her fourth album is produced by the artist herself with husband Randy Lindley and Justin Trevino, like last year's excellent Passion, Pride And What Might Have Been, with the same reliable production values reminiscent of the best 1960s country with lashings of fiddle and steel and a song selection policy majoring in heartbreak.
This record marks a departure of sorts in that hitherto, Amber has recorded almost exclusively revivals of older songs. Now for the first time she includes three songs she has co-written herself, but they remain firmly in the honky tonk tradition. The best of these is 'After It Breaks', which she wrote with Dan Powers, a classic-sounding emotional sad song with a genuinely affecting vocal performance:
With you I dealt with heartache at every turn
I witnessed true love all but crash and burn
Maybe now my soul will find the time
To get rest and find some peace of mind
Since you don't come around here anymore
Cause I've cried over you just long enough
To wash away the pain no one can touch
Now gettin' over you should be easy to take
Cause a heart don't hurt as much after it breaks
This lovely song is the highlight of the album. Had it been written in 1965, it might now be regarded as a country classic.
Album Reviews	Amber Digby, Barbara Mandrell, Dan Powers, Dennis McCall, Dickie Overbey, George Jones, Glenn Sutton, Jim and Jesse, Johnny Bush, Justin Trevino, Kitty Wells, Mel Tillis, Melba Montgomery, Osborne Brothers, Randy Lindley, Reba McEntire, Red Steagall, Ronnie Milsap, Willie Nelson
Album Review: Patty Loveless – 'Sleepless Nights'
10 Comments Posted by Occasional Hope on October 30, 2009
Patty Loveless was dropped by Epic following disappointing sales and minimal airplay for her last album for the label, Dreamin' My Dreams. She was in no hurry to make her next move, taking some time off the road to move down to Georgia, and dealing with family deaths and illness, but in 2008 she signed with the independent label Saguaro Road, and in September that year she released a new album, produced as usual by husband Emory Gordy Jr. She cast aside thoughts of regaining her chart-topping status, and instead recorded a tribute to traditional country music. It was heralded as a kind of companion piece or counterpart to 2001's Mountain Soul, as it was billed on the cover as "the traditional country soul" of Patty Loveless. What resulted was even better than we could have expected. Sleepless Nights is a masterpiece.
Classic cover albums have a tendency to fall into one of two main categories: excessively cautious tributes where the artist sounds frankly overwhelmed by the thought of competing with a much-loved original, and ends up producing a carbon copy or high quality karaoke; and trying too hard to put their own stamp on the material in such a way that the merits of the original song are stifled. Sleepless Nights triumphantly avoids either pitfall. Patty sounds thoroughly invested in the material and style, and makes it sound alive. Her versions of each of these songs sounds as though it could have been the original classic version.
George Jones is a very challenging artist to risk comparison with, although perhaps it is less dangerous for a female vocalist where the comparisons will inevitably be less deleterious. Patty had already successfully tackled one Jones classic in the form of 'If My Heart Had Windows' back in the early days, and she chose to open Sleepless Nights with George's first hit single (in 1955), the honky tonking 'Why Baby Why' (with a couple of minor lyric changes to fit the change in gender) which also served as the single released to promote this album. Sadly, if predictably, it was far too traditional for today's country radio, but it is a perfect opening to the album as Patty tears into the song, the most up-tempo on the set.
Patty also picked three more Jones songs, including a truly lovely version of one of his greatest classics (written by Dickey Lee). 'She Thinks I Still Care' is altered here to 'He Thinks I Still Care'. There is a fantastic take on 'Color Of The Blues' on which Patty actually achieves the almost impossible: improving on a song once recorded by George Jones as she infuses the lyric with pain. The most obscure Jones cover is 'That's All It Took', from one of his 1960s duet albums with pop singer Gene Pitney, which is probably best known today from the 1970s cover by Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris. Patty's version features her former guitarist, Australian Jedd Hughes, on harmonies.
Album Reviews, Spotlight Artist	Carl and Pearl Butler, Carl Butler, Carl Smith, Carlene Carter, Conway Twitty, Dallas Frazier, Davis Sisters, Dickey Lee, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Emory Gordy Jr., Everly Brothers, Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, Gene Pitney, George Jones, Gram Parsons, Hank Locklin, Hank Williams, Jack Greene, Jedd Hughes, June Carter Cash, Linda Ronstadt, Osborne Brothers, Patsy Cline, Patty Loveless, Porter Wagoner, Ray Price, Skeeter Davis, Sydni Perry, The Judds, Vince Gill, Webb Pierce
Album Review: Pam Gadd – 'Benefit Of Doubt'
3 Comments Posted by Occasional Hope on March 25, 2009
I like a little bluegrass mixed in with the straight country in my musical diet, and I was pleased to hear that Pam Gadd was releasing another album. I first came across Pam back in 1990, when she was the more prominent of the two lead singers of Wild Rose, a bluegrass-infused all-female country band who released three albums on Universal and Capitol Records, and received a Grammy instrumental nomination. She is not as productive as some artists, having recorded just two previous solo efforts, the excellent The Road Home on Vanguard in 1997, and the not-quite-as-good The Time Of Our Lives in 2001. Musically, Pam falls in the hinterland where acoustic country overlaps with bluegrass. Her voice is strong and distinctive with characterful inflections.
Although there are no instrumental tracks, there is some excellent acoustic playing throughout, which complements the material rather than overwhelming it. Pam herself plays banjo, joined by former Wild Rose bandmate Wanda Vick on dobro, Vick's husband Mark Burchfield on bass (except on 'Farewell Wagon Master'), Bryan Sutton on guitar, Andy Leftwich on fiddle and mandolin, and Aubrey Haynie on mandolin.
The tone for the album is set with the opening track, a lively and beautifully played cover of bluegrass great Jimmy Martin's 'Hold Whatcha Got', a song which will be more familiar to country fans as the song which lent the title to Ricky Skaggs's late 80s album Comin' Home To Stay.
Pam refers back to previous aspects of her career in a number of ways on Benefit Of Doubt. The harmony singers include Dale Ann Bradley, with whom Pam worked in the New Coon Creek Girls, another all-female group, but this time a straight bluegrass one. Wild Rose's drummer Nancy Given Gardner, also sings harmony co-produces the album with Pam, although she only plays tambourine on one track ('Applejack'), as there is no room for drums on the record. Two of the songs Wild Rose recorded are given a new lease of life, namely 'Home Sweet Highway', which was one of the group's better songs, and 'Hit The Highway'. I'm not a big fan of repeating songs previously recorded by the same artist, but reviving two songs after 20 years, on an album with 14 tracks is not unacceptable. Another song, 'Wrong Wrong Wrong', was apparently recorded by the group but never released; it's a catchy, medium-up-tempo number with a funky feel, which would have suited the Wild Rose vibe.
Album Reviews	Conway Twitty, Dale Ann Bradley, Dolly Parton, Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, Jimmy Martin, Loretta Lynn, Marty Raybon, New Coon Creek Girls, Osborne Brothers, Pam Gadd, Patty Loveless, Porter Wagoner, Ricky Skaggs, Shenandoah, Steve Wariner, Wild Rose


text:
Today's Listings, Over $1,000,000
$900,000 - $1,000,000 Over $1,000,000
1 Property Found. Page 1 of 1.
4065 State Road 16, ST AUGUSTINE
MLS® # 1210285
GREAT EXPECTATIONS REALTY
The data relating to real estate for sale on this web site comes in part from the Internet Data Exchange (IDX) program of the Northeast Florida Multiple Listing Service, Inc. Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than Round Table Realty are marked with the listing broker's name and detailed information about such listings includes the name of the listing brokers. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
©2023 Northeast Florida Multiple Listing Service, Inc. All rights reserved.
Listing information last updated on January 30th, 2023 at 10:32pm EST.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: I'm trying to change the following vbscript code to PowerShell I have the following VBScript code which I am trying to re-write in PowerShell.
I'm having trouble with the CreateObject("WindowsInstaller.Installer"). I can't do this in Powershell. I'd like to see the Products, ProductCode and PatchCode properties of the objects.
Can anybody help? VB code below.
Dim msi : Set msi = CreateObject("WindowsInstaller.Installer")

Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set objFile = objFSO.CreateTextFile("output.txt", True)

Dim products : Set products = msi.Products
Dim productCode
For Each productCode in products
    Dim patches : Set patches = msi.Patches(productCode)
    Dim patchCode

    For Each patchCode in patches
        Dim location : location = msi.PatchInfo(patchCode, "LocalPackage")
        objFile.WriteLine location
    Next
Next

A: Use this to instantiate a COM-object in PowerShell:
$msi= New-Object -ComObject WindowsInstaller.Installer

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


John Paul Dejoria, co-founder of John Paul Mitchell Systems and Patron Tequila, really is living the American Dream.
Mr Dejoria admitted that he was once homeless with a child in his early twenties, but that just stoked his passion to succeed.
He tells Bloomberg the business ethos that fuelled his meteoric rise to the top.


Matt was very knowledgeable and great to deal with. His installer was on time, very friendly, and did an excellent job assembling and installing the cabinets. We went from a brand new garage filled with storage boxes, to a beautiful garage with tons of storage space. We can finally get both of our cars into the garage. Yeah!!
I always worry about working with a new company I have no experience with. Space Solutions put my mind at ease with their professionalism from start to finish. I am more than happy with the results of my garage cabinets..
I used Space Solutions for a ton of cabinets in my garage. We LOVE them! We researched several companies and Space Solutions was by far the best value. I highly recommend Space Solutions!
Thank you, Space Solutions, for the custom garage and laundry room cabinets you installed in our home very recently. No other company, in your field of expertise, beats your excellent customer service and quality. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience with your company,starting from your representative's visit, to the professionalism and great attitude of the installer who did a wonderful job. We continue to enjoy the beautiful custom master bedroom closets you installed several years ago. We highly recommend Space Solutions!
"I highly recommend Space Solutions "
We have chosen Space Solutions time and time again for our home improvement projects. They offer quality at a competitive price. I was seeking more of a designer look and Space Solutions was able to accommodate no problem. In fact, the salesperson offered many creative suggestions which were extremely helpful. We had them build bookshelves, desks, garage cabinets and sports lockers. My latest favorite is the bench seat in my kitchen complete with drawers. A wall unit for our TV and master closet are next on the list. Space Solutions is key in making our house into our dream home.
Space Solutions helped me design an office and craft room all in one! It is my favorite room in my house. I have storage for all of my office supplies along with my paints, sewing machine and all of my crafting materials. I have enough storage for everything! It is a beautiful and functional room. I loved it so much, that they were back to do my garage and master closet. I highly recommend Space Solutions.
"I can't say enough nice things about Space Solutions."
I called Space Solutions for a quote, along with a few other companies. Space Solutions took into consideration all the things we wanted to do with the cabinets as well as the spaces and our familiy as they made the plans for both garage cabinets and some in our family room. I was nervous for the installation, but the man they sent was top notch. He had us inspect the work several times during the day just to make sure we liked how it was looking, etc. He was quick, even though it was the hot Arizona summer. I can't say enough nice things about Space Solutions. We love our cabinets!
We used Space Solutions for our garage cabinets and laundry room uppers 13 years ago. We loved them! Thanks again!
"The customer service was outstanding."
Space solutions installed our garage cabinets and they look great. The customer service was outstanding. I always get compliments on how nice our garage cabinets look from neighbors and friends.
Space Solutions has done two garages for me, a master closet and also a desk in our home office. All turned out great! I would highly recommend them.
"Best customer service and quality you can get!"
We have used Space Solutions on many occasions. Best customer service and quality you can get!
"We love our Laundry room Cabinets."
I had a closet installed in a room that can now be considered an additional bedroom. I am thrilled with the look, the quality, and the utility of the finished product, and it added value to my home! I was equally as pleased with the process. Mark, the salesman, was responsive, professional, and presented me with a detailed design that met my needs. John, the installer, was polite and clean, and did excellent work. My closet looks like a design elemen,t in my guest room, and is both more functional and less expensive than a basic closet.
I just wanted to let you know that I really appreciate the outstanding experience I had with Paul. He was very professional and I am very happy with your product and your service. Thank you.
Had some closets redone in my house. The salesman, Paul helped plan out the whole remodel. Had them installed this week and they look great! Very satisfied with the work and materials. I would recommend them to anyone!


You are invited to complete and return a community survey, assessing public interest in the environmental site investigation and cleanup for the ITT Cannon Humboldt Street property located in Los Angeles, California. The site is located at 3209 Humboldt Street in the block bounded by West Avenue 33 to the north, Humboldt Street to the South, Pasadena Avenue to the east, and the Artesian Street to the west. Your responses will help shape upcoming public participation opportunities for the site. Please complete the attached community survey questionnaire by November 1, 2002.
The ITT Cannon Humboldt Street property is located in an industrialized‑zoned area of Lincoln Heights. The site was first developed in the 1920s to support a fabric cleaning and dying company. Since then, various other companies have owned the property and operated a variety of industrial businesses. One of the companies, ITT Cannon, purchased the property in 1963 and continued operations at this location for several years until transferring to the city of Santa Ana in mid‑1971. ITT Cannon installed one aboveground storage tank (AST) and four underground storage tanks (USTs) to store petroleum products, clarifiers and degreasers.
The approximately 3.75‑acre property was occupied by a series of interconnected oneand two‑story, slab‑on‑grade industrial/warehouse type buildings. The structures were demolished and removed in 1998. The concrete pad remains at the property and the property perimeter is fenced.
assessment is performed to determine if clean up activities are needed. If the risk assessment determines cleanup activities are warranted, various cleanup options are evaluated and circulated to the public for review and comment. IDTSC would like to know the community's questions and concerns so they are taken into account throughout the investigation and the identification of proposed cleanup activities. Therefore, we are asking you to complete the enclosed survey to help us understand your views on this project and how we can best meet your information needs.
If you have questions regarding this project, please contact the Project Manager, Alberto Valmidiano, at 818‑551‑2870 or by e‑mail at avalmidi@dtsc.ca.gov or myself at 714‑484‑5488 or by e‑mail at Ihernand@dtsc.ca.gov. One community survey questionnaire has been included with this letter. If you would like to complete a questionnaire for each adult in your household please make a photocopy or call me for additional questionnaires.


text:
H&W: Age is Just a Number
July 2010, Feature
by Radina Gigova
Searching for the much sought-after "fountain of youth" has exhausted the resources of countless pioneers in hopes of delaying the inevitable. Efforts have proven to be futile. Aging is an unavoidable fact of life that we all must face.
As we advance into older age, it's essential to know what to expect out of our bodies. Researchers and doctors agree that even though genes play a significant role in a person's overall health status, daily choices like diet, exercise and reducing stress are crucial factors in living a long and healthy life.
"The number one thing is to realize that your body is the framework, it is very much like a building," says Edmond health educator Sherry Ross, owner of Sherry's Drug. "If you don't maintain the internal structure of the building, you age faster."
The main reason for aging is the decreasing levels of different hormones in our bodies, Ross says. Men age slower than women as they continue to manufacture testosterone, even into their 80s. Women on the other hand, start loosing significant amounts of hormones, especially after menopause, and therefore age quicker.
Ross recommends testing hormonal levels in your 20s or 30s, rather than later in life. This gives a person a better idea of what their natural levels are, and some may even consider hormone replacement therapy.
Scientists have observed that a person's cells age at different rates, and as a result they make a distinction between chronological and biological age. One of the best ways to positively impact your biological age is through diet.
Michele Menzel, doctor of naturopathy at Energetic Wellness, says to avoid refined, processed, dead or devitalized foods. White flour products, white sugar products (including artificial sweeteners), high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil and dairy products that have hormones and antibiotics should also be avoided.
"Whatever the condition is, you have to go back to what you put in your body," says Dr. Menzel. A well-balanced body will have energy and vitality well into old age.
Another means to restoring the internal balance is to eliminate stress, Menzel says. "If we solve our problems, then we don't bring the stress over to the next day."
Dr. Kamla Knight, chiropractor at Knight Wellness says to take care of health issues as they occur, rather than at an older age when it's more difficult. As metabolism slows down in the late 30s and 40s, the result is weight gain, which affects joints.
"Basically your health is really in your hands," said Dr. Knight.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), technology and science advances have increased life expectancy around the world. They estimate the 2 billion people who are 60 and older will be alive in 2050. Researchers say most of the disability associated with elderly adults is the consequence of preventable chronic diseases rather than aging itself.
Health promotion throughout the lifespan is essential to healthy development and affects all areas of the human body, including eyesight and hearing.
Other than age, hearing loss among people in their 60s and 70s often occurs from not using hearing protection at work. "In that generation, we have a lot of noise-induced loss because it was before there were guidelines in the work environment," said Dr. Leslie Te, audiologist with Fine Hearing Care. "Wearing hearing aids can actually slow down the deterioration process."
A short, loud sound, like a gunshot next to the ear, could be as damaging as prolonged noise from a concert that lasts several hours, Dr. Te says.
While loud noises will often impair hearing, overexposure to the sun can harm eyesight. Dr. Julie Moore with Premier Eye Care says people should be careful with the sun and always wear 100 percent UV protection glasses to prevent damage to the eyes.
Regular eye exercises are always a good idea, especially for people who spend a lot of time in front of computer screens. "Look at something that is 20 feet away every 20 minutes, for 20 seconds, and it relaxes the focusing system," says Moore.
Even if you don't have vision problems, Moore recommends yearly checks so diseases can be treated in their earliest stages.
"Aging is a slow process," says Knight, "but we can really slow this process with the choices that we make on a daily basis."
"New Edmond Mayor's Message"
by Marissa Denny
"Reporting Back on Citizens Questions"
First United Methodist Church Mission Trip to Peru
by Jessica Hough
July 15, 2010 32 Member Mission Team from First United Methodist Church of Edmond Travel to Peru A mission team consisting of 32 people, most of whom are from the First United Methodist Church of Edmond left Saturday, July 17th for Peru and will be returning on July 27th. The purpose of the trip...


Compare Sleetmute, stateshort} Medigap insurance companies within minutes. Quote comparison is the best way to locate affordable Medicare Supplmental insurance in Sleetmute. To begin enter your Zip Code and press "Compare Your Options". Our website will search for the best Medigap insurance carriers and providers in Bethel county. Finding the best coverage and low cost premium that fit your needs and budget can literally take you 20 minutes or less.
If you do want to get quotes for Medigap policies, you can either contact local insurance providers in Sleetmute, Alaska, or you can use the Internet to help you find them. Submitting your information to these insurance providers will allow them to calculate how much you are going to pay. They will have different policy levels that you can choose from just like any ordinary health insurance policy. The amount that you pay is usually reflective of how much coverage you will have. In many cases, it's better to go with the most expensive plan so that you eliminate the possibility of being blindsided by very expensive medical bills.
Although we had just stated that you should pay the most money for Medigap insurance, this is only reflective of contacting one particular health insurance provider. Your goal is to get multiple quotes from different companies and look at all of the rates collectively. You will see that there are policies that are virtually identical, but they could be several hundred dollars a month less then other policies that are the same. In this case, you will want to choose the Sleetmute, Alaska Medigap policy that is the lowest price which will come from one particular insurance provider.
Wellness insurance policy is specifically what its name implies, a protection internet in situation the worst circumstance circumstance transpires with regards to your well being. With so numerous choices out there, and so numerous diverse businesses in the giving, it can be very hard to get the right prepare for you. This article can assist.
Get out insurance policies to defend yourself towards fiscal damage. Well being insurance policies must be one of the optimum fiscal precedence on your listing. Wellness problems are usually a probability and if health issues come up, the expense of medical center expenses alone could effortlessly bankrupt an individual who does not have well being insurance.
To make certain you have the very best well being insurance coverage, don't enable your policy lapse although you might be hunting for new coverage. If you lose your insurance policies for some cause, you could be suitable for COBRA. This is a govt software developed to permit you continue with your insurance coverage right up until you can locate a new coverage.
If you just take prescription medicines, be confident that your insurance coverage plan addresses the price of these medications. It's a very good concept to examine each and every 12 months, to make sure that your insurer has not modified its protection for any of your drugs. You could also be capable to help save cash by purchasing generic drugs or buying them by mail.
The way you deal with your wellness care insurance coverage could actually earn you tax breaks all around April. Numerous folks will not comprehend that their health insurance policies rates are tax deductible. Any funds you spend to include your deductible, your prescriptions, or any visits that your insurance isn't going to cover can also be deducted from your taxable income. State taxes are different from federal taxes, so make certain you check guidelines.
If you don't have a massive sum of time to contact many different organizations and you will not want to work with a brokerage, it is achievable to locate sites that support to mixture several various companies for you. While they can't give a fully accurate price, they will give you many ballpark figures to aid get you commenced.
Do your investigation about what was contained in the newly handed healthcare legislation ahead of you purchase a coverage. Insurance policies companies are doing whatsoever they can to get out of this, and they might stick it to you as a buyer if you purchase your plan without knowing. Do your homework before committing.
Read through in excess of your overall health care handbook and it will give you a good deal of information that will be helpful in the future. Your supplier will deliver you a booklet masking all the specifics of your coverage and reading it go over to protect is the only way to totally comprehend all of the advantages accessible to you. Though it may seem to be a little tiresome, you will reward from knowing all the data.
If you and your wife or husband are the two supplied overall health insurance policy protection through your businesses, assessment each guidelines cautiously ahead of making a choice. You may help save income by going with just your policy, or just your spouse's. It also may be considerably less expensive to insure each of you independently.
Several individuals who are self-employed face a quandary about wellness insurance policies. They know they require to be lined in situation of wellness emergencies, and but the price of overall health insurance policy for men and women is so substantial as to be prohibitive for many. Some men and women get about this by acquiring key health-related protection only. This variety of policy has a quite large deductible, addresses no preventive treatment - however, it will cover conditions where the particular person will need admission to a clinic.
Ahead of possessing a child you must know about how a lot you will have to shell out even with well being insurance. If you have a PPO you may end up having to pay about $one thousand or even far more for the delivery. If you have an HMO your fees will most likely be a lot lower. It is very best to figure it out prior to you get expecting.
As you can see from this report, well being insurance policies is complicated, but it doesn't have to be puzzling. There are many approaches that you can ensure you never overpay for protection even though still getting the health-related care that you need. Possessing go through these ideas, you need to be far better ready to make decisions about your insurance wants.


text: Q: Using a Bezier curve to represent a circle Using a Bezier curve to represent a quadrant of a circle, with start and end points (0,1) and (1,0) and control points (k,1) and (1,k) the optimum value for k is 0.551914972 giving an error of about half that where the mid point lies on the true circle. (For some reason I can't seem to post this as an answer, but only as a question.)


text:
Operation Eyesight raises $485,000 for water projects in Africa
Joel Griffith
FILE PHOTO: Villagers gather to inaugurate their new well in Narok, Kenya. The well is part of Operation Eyesight's trachoma control program for the district. Clean water is crucial to the eradication of trachoma, one of the world's leading causes of blindness. Peter Carrette / OPERATION EYESIGHT UNIVERSAL
On World Water Day, Operation Eyesight announced it raised $485,000 during its Washing Away Blindness campaign, which will assist in funding water projects in Zambia.
The funds will be used in 24 of the African country's most depleted communities, to provide people with clean water to wash their hands and faces. Along with clean water, the Calgary-based charity will assist in preventing trachoma, an eye infection eventually leading to permanent blindness.
To go along with funds donated by supporters, Operation Eyesight's board chair Rob Ohlson promised to match all donations made through the Washing Away Blindness campaign.
"I simply wanted to give others the opportunity to double their donation and be part of a long-term solution to prevent blindness," said Ohlson.
For each well developed, approximately 400 people will gain access to clean water, meaning almost 10,000 people across Zambia will reap the benefits of these water projects.
"We'd like to thank Rob (Ohlson) and all of our donors for their incredible support," said Brian Foster, executive director for Operation Eyesight.
"Thanks to you, we're one step closer to washing away blindness in Zambia."
Although the campaign is over, donations to Operation Eyesight's trachoma surgery program are still being accepted at www.operationeyesight.com/trachoma.
jgriffith@postmedia.com
Trump expected to issue far-reaching reversal of Obama climate push Change in middle-class fortunes would alter political landscape, Stephen Harper warns
Timeline: Alberta's chief medical examiner resigns weeks before contract set to expire | Calgary Her


Drug-related deaths are at their highest level since records began in 1993 with 3,756 in England and Wales last year, 53% of which related to opiate use. Almost 1/3rd of all deaths from overdose in 2016 in Europe happened in the UK. This constitutes a public health and humanitarian crisis which must be addressed urgently, urges HIV charity NAT.
‹ What's new in the February 2019 PHOF update?


text:
"Bezpieczeństwo Pracy i Ochrona Środowiska w Górnictwie" – czasopismo naukowo-techniczne Wyższego Urzędu Górniczego, w latach 1992-1995 wydawane jako kwartalnik, a od roku 1996 przekształcone w miesięcznik, ujęty w wykazie czasopism punktowanych Ministerstwa Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego.

Czasopismo prezentuje aktualne problemy górnictwa w Polsce i poza jej granicami, a także stan wiedzy w zakresie górnictwa i dyscyplin naukowych z nim związanych oraz konkretne rozwiązania techniczne
i technologiczne w dziedzinie bezpieczeństwa pracy i ochrony środowiska naturalnego. Ponadto, na bieżąco informuje o przyczynach wypadków w górnictwie, historii górnictwa oraz zmianach w obowiązujących przepisach.

Prenumeratorami miesięcznika "Bezpieczeństwo Pracy i Ochrona Środowiska w Górnictwie" są zakłady górnicze, placówki naukowo-badawcze, uczelnie wyższe, organy administracji państwowej, biblioteki oraz jednostki produkcyjne i usługowe pracujące na rzecz górnictwa. Miesięcznik otrzymują także instytucje zagraniczne, m.in. w Australii, Czechach, Niemczech, Rosji, Słowacji, Ukrainie i USA.

Przypisy

Czasopisma specjalistyczne
Czasopisma w języku polskim
Czasopisma wydawane od 1992
Miesięczniki w Polsce

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia