Revisiting a point I've made before, there were a lot of traditional country music artists who spent at least part of their careers performing what would become known as rockabilly. Guys like Onie Wheeler, who was never a big star but did enjoy a long, solid career before dying in 1984, in a way that … Continue reading Onie Wheeler’s Surprising Finale
Tag: country music
And Another Childhood Icon Bites The Dust
Remember when we all had six-shooters like those carried by the heroes of movie and TV Westerns? Of course, theirs were real -- or at least seemed real even though we knew they were shooting blanks -- and ours were smaller and made their 'bang' from paper rolls of caps, but we still had a … Continue reading And Another Childhood Icon Bites The Dust
Dick Curless – The Baron Of Country Music
Although Maine isn't the first state that comes to mind when you think about country music, it was nevertheless the birthplace of one of the best of several guys who specialized in a certain type of song -- truckin' tunes. Dick Curless was a special favorite of truckers and anyone else who enjoyed his highway … Continue reading Dick Curless – The Baron Of Country Music
Dale Evans – Before She Was The Queen
Most of us remember Dale Evans, the long-time wife and performing partner of singing cowboy Roy Rogers, a lady who was often billed as the Queen of the Cowgirls. We might also know that she was an actress and a singer long before she paired up with Roy. But did you know that Roy was … Continue reading Dale Evans – Before She Was The Queen
Floyd Tillman – Croonin’ Honky-Tonk Pioneer
As unlikely as it might seem to modern music fans -- especially after listening to his decidedly odd singing style -- there was a time that honky-tonk pioneer Floyd Tillman was described as a combination of Ernest Tubb and Frank Sinatra. But even if that now seems an odd idea, music historians still consider him … Continue reading Floyd Tillman – Croonin’ Honky-Tonk Pioneer
Chugging Through The World Of Graffiti
Those who remember the HBO miniseries Rome might also recall that the opening titles sequence showed example after example of graffiti on the walls of the ancient city. That was historically accurate because graffiti has been around for a long time. In fact, it's a pretty good bet that as soon as someone built the … Continue reading Chugging Through The World Of Graffiti
Shining A Spotlight On Tibby Edwards
Our society is so star-obsessed that we sometimes forget that the evolution of music also depends on lesser-known performers. Guys like Tibby Edwards, who was never a big star but still managed to be in the middle of things during the early years of rock and roll. In fact, at one point he shared the … Continue reading Shining A Spotlight On Tibby Edwards
Link Davis Changed With The Times
I never cease to be amazed by the diversity of sounds that influenced early rock and roll, a diversity that even existed within each of the genres themselves. For example, what we now call rockabilly had room for rising young blues rockers like Elvis Presley alongside country music veterans like Link Davis, who first appeared … Continue reading Link Davis Changed With The Times
Fingers Are Not Just For Pointing
One of the most widely-publicized photos from the recent presidential debate was a view of the candidates simultaneously pointing fingers at each other. I suppose it was sort of dramatic and at the same time a little silly too. But fingers are useful for a lot of things besides pointing. I'm not even going to … Continue reading Fingers Are Not Just For Pointing
The Tall Texan – Billy Walker
In a recent piece titled The Perfect Song For Geezers, I mentioned that the song -- Willie Nelson's "Funny How Time Slips Away" -- was actually recorded for the first time by country singer Billy Walker. I also made a mental note at that time to feature the guy known as the Tall Texan in … Continue reading The Tall Texan – Billy Walker
Geezer Music Club 