October 7, 2006
How did you get here?
Posted by Hal Bogerd at October 7, 2006 12:04 AMNo, not literally here..as in "I typed in hickorywind.org". How did you get HERE? Here, listening to this music. Everyone has a story about their Mom playing Johnny Cash, watching HeeHaw with Uncle Joe or hearing "The Battle of New Orleans" on some old jukebox.
After an often involuntary childhood exposure most of us (at least I did) wandered off to other musical pastures-some good, some not so good. Do you remember the disc that brought you back to the music that ultimately led you to this site?
Joe Ely's 1977 debut "Joe Ely" was the disc that opened my eyes and ears. A short album, ten songs (five per side-yes, it was that long ago). 32 minutes of a rootsy blend of Texas outlaw country,Jerry Lee Lewis piano, rock and roll, Tex-Mex, hipster poetry and blues played and sung by Joe (with help from Jesse Taylor on guitar and a heavy dose of Lloyd Maines on steel guitar) to perfection. The tracks, penned by the three former Flatlanders, included "I Had My Hopes Up High" by Joe Ely, "She Never Spoke Spanish To Me" and "If You Were A Bluebird" by Butch Hancock and "Treat Me Like A Saturday Night" by Jimmie Dale Gilmore.
I'm not trying to make the case that this is an essential Americana disc (although it probably is and as a bonus has been reissued along with "Honky Tonk Masquerade", Ely's 1978 follow-up, on one compact disc) but it was the vinyl record I pulled off the shelf at the Houston Public Library long long ago that opened the door for me. If you haven't heard it do yourself a favor and find a copy.
What was the disc (disc, singular-no lists of essential Americana recordings please) that led YOU down the road to HickoryWind. Remember, there are no wrongs answers......... actually there are. "Convoy" and "Achy Breaky Heart" are two that come to mind.
For me it was not recorded music at all, but live music at home and at festivals. Pickup bands playing to get their ticket prices back at Union Grove. Clinch Mtn Boys, Doc and Merle Watson, and all the music at pig-pickings and family reunions around Lee and Harnett counties.
Posted by: Jim Pipkin at October 9, 2006 12:16 AMWhiskeytown - Faithless Street
I heard the title song off that album on an internet radio station, bought the album, and been on a long strange trip ever since.
For me it was Copperhead Road that led me here. I'd grown up listening to country music with my parents. They hated the newer stuff (late 80s and on) and played albums and 8-tracks of Willie Nelson and George Jones instead. When I became a teenager and felt compelled to rebel, I went the way of Metallica and Motley Crue. It was Copperhead Road - the song more than the album - that reminded me how utterly gritty and cool REAL country music can be.
As a side note, I remember wanting my brother to hear this new awesomeness that I'd found so I called the local country station in Richmond to get them to play the song. Their reply: Steve who??
Official story: Got the "Sweet Relief" CD for the Soul Asylum track, heard "Lights" by the Jayhawks and I was hooked.
Unofficial story: Does Jon Bon Jovis "Blaze of Glory" count as a gateway drug? I was young
Posted by: Patrickhayes at October 10, 2006 2:23 AMI discovered Americana music way back in the 70s when I was working in - of all places! - a Science Fiction bookshop. It also had a very large counter cultural section and sold records as well.
The guys who ran the record section were into Country music and the shop imported American records of all genres. I was introduced to such artists as Guy Clark, Emmylou Harris, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band etc through them. I loved it.
I also knew musicians who were into this type of music.
Later in the 90s I found a great record store here in downtown Melbourne, Australia who put me onto a great many artists I'd missed out on during a hiatus in the 80s and I re-educated myself and discovered wonderful artists by myself. Artists such as Gillian Welch, Whiskeytown, Steve Earle (who I'd entirely overlooked earlier)and so it continues to this day.
Heard it ever since I was a kid. Grew up with the Opry and ragtime and traditional Ozark/Appalachian music. When Dad retired and we settled in Phoenix, I found out that playing the banjo got the girls (lots of folk guitar in High School but I was the only banjo player) and never looked back.
Posted by: Joe Bethancourt at October 10, 2006 4:23 PMI grew up listening to country music in the Texas suburb of Irving. My dad is a country singer/songwriter as is my uncle (the latter currently successful on Nashville's Music Row.) Willie, Waylon and Hag were in my blood.
As is the wont of youth I rebeled and wondered the highways of sounds, metal, techno, jazz...until I moved to New York City three years ago. People move to New York to do one of two things, find themselves or lose themselves. I found my inner hillbilly, learned to appreciate and treasure the legacy of country music and started my blog(twangnation.com.)
New York City is also a hell of a place to see country acts. I've see the Drive By Truckers, Steve Earl, Willie Nelson and Ryan Adams (same show), Hanks Willimasn III, Kris Kristofferson, Chris Knight, The Dixie Chicks, Alejandro Escovedo, Lyle Lovett, Colexico, Rosanne Cash, Elvis Costello (with Emmylou Harris) and Shooter Jennings since I've been here.
Yep, ruined for life.....
Posted by: texastentialist at October 11, 2006 11:15 AMUhh...I was named after Waylon Jennings, so...
Posted by: Waylon at October 12, 2006 9:39 AMI first heard Guy Clark in the mid-1970's at the Kerrville Music Festival, outside Kerrville, Texas. I've been a big fan ever since that week-end. I'm really glad to hear tonight about a new album. Thanks, skl
Posted by: sarah at October 13, 2006 8:00 PMThanks for your interesting stories! Of course we're all still waiting for Larry's moment of musical enlightment to be described.............and if he doesn't do it soon I'll make it up for him.
Posted by: Hal at October 13, 2006 9:06 PMHal, I definitely started writing one, but it turned into a blog entry. I'll post it soon as I can!
Posted by: larry at October 16, 2006 10:40 AMI look forward to it (assuming it wasn't "Picking On Queen")!
Posted by: Hal at October 16, 2006 4:42 PMAt 16, seeing Maria McKee of Lone Justice ride a skateboard on the video for Ways to Be Wicked... a hot girl, skating, rocking with a twang: it was all over for me from then on out. X, The LeRoi Brothers, True Believers, Blood on the Saddle, The Long Ryders... the 80's were an exciting time for this stuff. Been stuck here ever since.
Posted by: PNK at October 17, 2006 10:21 AMPNK-Bonus points for the LeRoi Brothers reference!
