It Takes Two

Occasionally, we find video of two singers working together that we may not otherwise think would ever do so. Some of these combinations are well-known, while others are a little surprising, such as Norah Jones and Billie Jo Armstrong, and Trisha Yearwood and Don Henley. Either way, all of these videos showcase some exceptional voices, and some fantastic harmonies.

The Carter/Cash Legacy

Anyone that follows country music should know of the Carter Family and their influence over the genre. June Carter Cash, daughter of Mother Maybelle Carter, began singing and performing with her mother and sisters and later, performed with her third husband, Johnny Cash.

June had three children, one by each husband. Each of those people went on to find some success in the music business - Carlene Carter, Rosie Nix Adams, and John Carter Cash. 

Emmylou and ...

Emmylou Harris is a 12-time Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter/guitarist. Her songs and albums recorded throughout a long, successful career continue to be popular and significant, whether it is her solo work, or with others. Harris' body of work is impressive as a bandleader, most notably with her 'Hot Band', and the 'Nash Ramblers'. 

Harris has also found considerable success as a partner in some of the great duets in music history. She has worked with many notable performers, including Johnny Cash, Mark Knopfler, The Band, Gram Parsons, Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison, George Jones, and most recently, her old friend and former 'Hot Band' member Rodney Crowell. 

It's Emmylou and …

Emmylou and Rodney Crowell

She Really Gets Around

'Hello Mary Lou' is a memorable hit song as recorded by the late Rick Nelson, written by Gene Pitney. Although it became a hit more than 50 years ago, it still has the power to make you tap your foot and sing along with the music - a great, old time rock and roll tune.

It is a simple love song with a lively beat, a cowbell, and an iconic lead guitar break by the legendary James Burton. What's not to like? I play this song in my own band, and Nelson's version is on my iTunes and iPhone. 

Great songs often spawn cover versions, and 'Mary Lou' is no exception. So just how many ways can you say hello to Mary Lou? Check these videos - some of them are quite surprising.

No doubt about it - that 'Mary Lou' girl really gets around.

Robert, Jimmy and the guys

Click through to find more ways to say 'Hello Mary Lou'.

They Had It Covered First

Chances are, at least once you have been surprised to discover that a song that you like by a particular artist turned out to be a cover - that is, a song actually written by someone else. Even performers who generally write their own songs sometimes record and/or perform music written by another artist.

I recall being surprised when I learned that 'Call Me The Breeze' - a signature Lynyrd Skynyrd song - was written and first performed by JJ Cale. As it happens, there are many 'signature' type songs associated with a performer who had a big hit, that turned out to be covers of someone else's music.

The following videos are the songs performed by the original artists, made famous by someone else (sometimes a more famous performer) who covered the song, and made it their own. I'll leave it up to the reader to decide whether you like the original or the (usually much better known) cover version better. These videos are performed by the man who wrote the song.

Covering Hank

One of the most significant performers in music history had one of the shortest careers. Hank Williams, Sr., often called the father of contemporary country music, was only 29 when he died on January 1, 1953. Although he had been in the spotlight just four years, he left a legacy of music that set him apart as one of the greatest of all time. Many artists covered Hank's songs, including his son Hank, Jr., his daughter Jett, and his grandson Hank III.

Because Hank's songs have been so popular and influential, they have been performed and recorded by many musicians, all paying tribute to Williams and his standing as one of the greats. Presented here are some other artist's covers of Hank's songs.

Ten Guitars That Changed Music

This is a very interesting series of videos by Randy Bachman, former guitarist/singer for Bachman-Turner Overdrive and the Guess Who. Bachman presents a nice history lesson of ten guitars that helped to shape rock history. The videos are short, about 3 minutes each, and should be viewed in proper sequence to preserve the historic story line.

There is, however, one glaring error in this series. Can you spot it? If so, leave a comment below the article.

Snake Head Ritual

"Snake Head Ritual are true rock n' roll saviors on a mission to keep the rock alive," is the description of this band, according to the artist's page on the Grooveyard Records web site. The band is further described as "a timeless, blues-based, retro-sonic, hard rock masterpiece of classic proportions."

A Glaring Omission

If you are a fan of the late Bob Welch, then you are certainly outraged that when his former band, Fleetwood Mac, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Welch was excluded. No explanation has been offered by those responsible for this glaring omission - no reason given to explain why one of the most significant members of this famous band was denied his rightful place in the Hall.

Sentimental Lady (Original version)

The Hillbilly Rocker

Marty Stuart is one of the great country/rockabilly artists of all time. Stuart is a dynamic performer, and along with his band The Fabulous Superlatives, they always put on a great show. Stuart, guitarist Kenny Vaughan, bassist Paul Martin, and drummer Harry Stinson always look like they are having the time of their lives on stage which, of course, is what music should be all about. In these featured videos, they do Johnny Cash's 'Ring of Fire' (Marty once played guitar in Cash's band), Buddy Holly's 'Crying, Waiting, Hoping', and the theme from 'Bonanza.

Ring of Fire

King No-One

We enjoy discovering new, talented bands, and 'King No-One' is a good one. According to guitarist Joe's Uncle, "They do a lot of busking in York and they've been playing around the local circuit. They recently won a regional battle of the bands competition at Leeds O2 and the prize was to play at the Leeds & Reading Festivals on the BBC Introducing stages."

Check these guys out - it's worth your time.

'Virtual' Greatness

Today, we showcase some of the best of virtual, online collaborations. These guys are all members of the guitar web site Vanderbilly.com. Most of them have never met or even spoken to each other. It doesn't hardly get any better than this.

Something: Treebeard, Jammin' Jimmy, Mr. Glassback

Ulmer/McFarland

Check out the music of 'Ulmer/McFarland', a duo that will be featured in the October 2013 issue of Guitar Player Magazine. Dean Ulmer and Amy McFarland perform a variety of styles, from blues such as 'Drip Your Honey', to country flavored tunes like 'Kicked to the Curb'. Great music!

The Shadows Know

Hank Marvin is one of the most commercially successful and influential guitarists in rock history. As a member of the Shadows, Hank holds the distinction of having owned the first Fender Stratocaster guitar in the UK. His classic tone and style contributed to many hit records.

For the Byrds

Put together only via the Internet, these two guys have produced some of the finest virtual collaborations anywhere. These videos, by 'Byrds1967' and 'Scalerwave', are first rate in every way. If you love the music of the Byrds, check out these videos and the YouTube channels of these two guys for other fantastic music. 

Laid Back

JJ Cale was a unique talent, however he was not especially well known. If you know who he was, then you are probably familiar with his 'laid back' style that is a blend of rockabilly, country, rock and roll, blues, and even some jazz. If you don't know Cale and his music, then you will likely be surprised to know that some of his songs became massive hits for Lynyrd Skynyrd, Eric Clapton, and others. 

Cale was an American treasure, a one of a kind talent. He played music his own way, on his own terms, and he gave us memorable music. He died of a heart attack at 74, in July 2013. 

After Midnight '71

Ric's, Paisleys and Epi's

If you love guitars and guitar music, then check out the YouTube channel of 'Modfather1965' . He has a variety of great video lessons and play-alongs using some spectacular guitars, including the Rickenbacker electric 12-string, a pink paisley Telecaster, an Epiphone Casino, and more. Even if you're not into guitars, these videos are well worth your time, just for the great music and playing.

The Lucy Connection

Today in the spotlight, are two fantastic International video collaborations featuring Vanderbilly.com contributors. 'Lucy' is, of course, that beautiful, blue SYA Telecaster played by the amazing Jody Peck of England in both videos. 'Lucy' was built by the equally amazing Gary Madison, owner of 'Sharpen Your Axxe' guitars. 

The first outstanding video also features Keith from New York, and his spot on lead and harmony vocals, and acoustic guitar, and Jody playing both Duane and Dickey's country flavored lead guitar parts. Mastering by Mike Garvey.

Dust This!

There are dozens of outstanding recordings of the classic blues song, 'Dust My Broom'. The best known examples are by Robert Johnson and Elmore James. Those original recordings are, of course, classics, but by no means the best. For me, it doesn't get any better than these three recordings. They are exceptional in every way.

Jack Mayeaux

Treebeard234

Lexington Lab Band

Here is another new band that has been producing some spectacular cover videos. The Lexington Lab Band first produced several exceptional covers of Doobie Brothers classics, and now they have released four new videos covering songs by 'The Hag' - the great Merle Haggard.

These guys are seriously good and well worth a listen. I mean stompin' good music! (The LLB includes members of the Big River Band).

'Workin' Man Blues'

'Suzie Q' Cover

Showcasing another exceptional cover video from our buddies 'Jammin' Jimmy', 'Treebeard', and Don. These three guys are exceptional musicians, and combining their formidable talents produces a memorable video.

Jammin' Jimmy - vocals and rhythm guitar
Treebeard - lead guitar
Don - bass

The Downward Turn

Maybe it’s just because it’s summer, but there has been a noticeable drop in activity around here in the past few months. Regular readers will notice that I have not written anything new on this blog for nearly a month, and I have noticed that the number of regular readers has been dropping steadily and dramatically over the past five or so months. I don’t know if the drop in readership is due to folks being out and about in the warm weather months, or if no one is all that interested in the subject matter anymore.

  

The King of Western Swing

No less an icon than Waylon Jennings sang about him:

“It don’t matter who’s in Austin, Bob Wills is still the King.”

Wills had been in the music business for several years when he formed the Texas Playboys in 1934. He played fiddle and some vocals, with Tommy Duncan on piano and vocals, June Whalin on guitar, his brother Johnnie Lee Wills on banjo, and Kermit Whalin on pedal steel and bass. The lineup changed over the years, but the constant was Wills and his style. The band played dance music and had several hits including ‘Steel Guitar Rag’, and ‘New San Antonio Rose.’ They competed favorably with the best of the big bands, selling records and filling dance halls; keeping people dancing and smiling with their brand of music that became known as Western Swing.

The Highwaymen

Their names are as recognizable as any in music history. They were songwriters, singers, guitarists, and distinctive characters – each man a strong personality. All four were stars in their own right, and they joined forces to make music in one of the most unique collaborations we have ever seen. Such a collection of talent could have been a disaster with ego clashes, but these guys were friends first, and apparently, they each checked their egos at the door whenever they performed together. As a group they called themselves ‘The Highwaymen’ – Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Kris Kristofferson.

They Left Us Too Soon

Dealing with death is never easy. As we grow older, it is inevitable that we will lose grandparents, parents, aunts, and uncles. Even when they live to old age, it is still sad. Just as difficult is the death of a sibling – especially if he or she was younger. Losing family, whether old or young, is one of the most difficult things any of us will deal with – a blood relative, a spouse, or a child.

Perfect Portrayals

We have seen plenty of biographical films of music legends; some of them good and some not so good. The best performances by an actor (male or female) made you forget that the actor was playing a role – they played the part so well that they became their subject. This is especially true when the actor sings and/or plays an instrument in their portrayal of a real life figure. Those of us that play instruments notice and appreciate when we see that such an actor can really play a guitar or piano; not just pretend to play. Not every actor is able to take their performance to such an extent, but when it happens, it makes them more believable in their role as a well-known musician.

An Unhappy Return

It was so hot that I could barely breathe. We didn’t have air-conditioning in the car back in those days, so the windows were wide open, and I could hear the wind rushing past as we drove through the total darkness of a moonless desert night. I leaned towards the nearest window, thinking that poking my head out would give me the relief of cooler air, but the wind outside was like a blast furnace. I recoiled in shock – I couldn’t believe that air rushing past the car could be so hot - at night. That just defied logic.

Celebrating My Dad's Life

Dr. Walter A. Manch, 81, died March 22, 2013, at Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George, Utah. He was surrounded by loving family, including Gertrude, his wife of 59 years, son Larry, and close friends, Rose and Ken Ronjon of St. George.

Dr. Manch, Ph.D., was born September 14, 1931 in Utica, New York, the only child of Larry and Eleanor (Bowman) Manch. He attended elementary, middle, and high schools in Utica before enrolling at Utica College and Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York. He earned his doctorate from SU in 1961, and taught chemistry and physics in several colleges and universities over a lengthy and successful career.

 

It’s Still Rock and Roll

Do you understand the differences between ‘folk rock’, ‘country rock’, ‘Southern rock’, ‘classic rock’, and ‘pop rock’? The terms ‘rock’ and ‘rock and roll’ cover many sub-genres. Most of them are self-explanatory, but some music fans are confused by the terms. While the label doesn’t really matter – it you like it, who cares what you call it – it can be helpful to understand the differences.

Travelin' Man

What began as a way to impress girls – singing and playing guitar – became a way of life for a 1950’s teenage idol. He became one of the top selling artists in pop music history. His father Ozzie was a well-known big band leader, and later a radio and television star. His mother Harriet was a singer with Ozzie’s band, and starred as Ozzie’s wife on the popular radio and then television show ‘The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet’. While Rick Nelson had advantages that most people don’t enjoy, he quickly emerged from the shadows of his parents to become a star in his own right.

Significant Roles

Their abilities as guitar players, singers, and/or songwriters made these men highly visible. As with most of the greats of rock music, their contributions were such that without them, their bands may never have achieved the level of fame they enjoyed. Without a doubt, these men played significant roles in the development of the bands in which they played and in the history of rock music.

Allen Collins is a tragic figure. Once a talented guitarist in one of the biggest bands of the rock era, his life spiraled out of control after a series of devastating events – every one of them a disaster of epic proportions. 

Sweet Baby James

We drove all night, arriving around dawn. We staggered wearily into the hotel restaurant, and as I sat there mesmerized by the aroma of coffee, eggs, and bacon, it slowly dawned on me through the fog of fatigue that music was playing in the room.

The first song I was aware of was a slow, quiet song – a mellow-voiced man singing about “Sweet dreams and Flying Machines in pieces on the ground”. The album continued to play, and as I listened more closely to the songs, I realized that I was hearing something special but I had no idea who the singer was.

Different Enough

When you stop to think of all of the guitarists that you have heard in popular music, you begin to realize that not only are there hundreds or more, but even those that play the same genre are all clearly different. Then the next thought for me was, “Well duh – that’s why we have heard of them.”

No Stairway

If you love guitars, you have probably spent a fair amount of time in guitar stores browsing, drooling, talking, and playing. Store personnel do their best to provide customer service to those ready to buy, and for those that are just browsing. While this is part of retail life, especially with big-ticket items like guitars, basses, and amps, it is helpful to remember that there is a code of best practices for customers as well as retailers. 

The ‘27’ Club

What do Robert Johnson, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, and Kurt Cobain have in common? What about Brian Jones, Amy Winehouse, Ron McKernan, and Pete Ham? If you said they were all musicians/performers, you would be correct. If you noticed that all of them are deceased, you would also be correct. They also had something else in common - they are all members of an exclusive club.

Every one of these performers (and a dozen or more other, lesser known musicians) are members of the infamous ‘27 Club’.

The Rhythm Aces

Popular music has its stars, and also those ‘other’ musicians that made major contributions yet are not very well known. Rhythm guitarists are rarely the stars of a band, unless they happen to be the lead singer, but no one can deny their importance to the music. Although the guitarists featured in this piece are not as well known as most lead guitar players, they deserve mention for their skill in driving the music of rock and roll.

The ‘Other’ Turner

One of the forgotten stars of the early rock era is Ike Turner. He is probably better known as the former husband of a mega-star singer, but Ike holds a place all his own among the pioneers of rock and roll. He was a bandleader, guitarist, songwriter, pianist, talent scout, record arranger, and producer. He discovered Anna Mae Bullock; changed her name to Tina Turner and helped to propel her to stardom. His musical resume is impressive, but unfortunately for him, Turner is best known as an alleged wife beater and abuser.

A Good Dusting

Few songs speak more to the roots of blues and blues-rock than ‘Dust My Broom’. It is a signature piece, written in the 1930’s, and has been recorded by many prominent rock and blues singers and guitarists. No one knows for certain who wrote it; it has been attributed to two legendary bluesmen: Robert Johnson and Elmore James, although it is possible that either or both used other songs of the time and altered them to produce their own version.