I received a haul of new books over the holidays. I’m currently devouring the Neil Young biography, Shakey
The stunning photography of Leon Kagarise is surrounded by background stories and insight dropped on Ernest Tubb, Ray Davis, Porter Wagoner, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton and Bill Monroe. “These intimate, $1-a-carload picnic concerts might have been forgotten if not for the documenting eye of music lover Leon Kagarise, whose candid photographs of these legendary performers and their fans provide a unique glimpse into this long vanished world.” Indeed, too often the country genre is muddied by the current state of what’s on the radio and television. It hampers the traditional greatness that the genre holds and, as a result, the legends get lost in translation.
This year, you’ll see a focus on some country late greats on this page. No doubt this book will be a good resource along the way.
Discuss: What are some of your favorite country records? Any other good books on the subject discussed above? Your recommendations and advice is appreciated.
Buy: Pure Country: The Leon Kagarise Archives, 1961-1971
Perhaps the best biography I have ever read it “Can’t You Hear Me Callin’ The Life of Bill Monroe” by Richard Smith. It’s an incredibly detailed account of his life and meticulously researched. Best of all, it’s so well footnoted, any story or tidbit can be traced back to its source which is often a personal interview with the people involved or with Monroe himself. Highly recommended for fans of early country music.
The new Marty Stuart photography book is simply amazing. Marty is an incredible musician, photographer, and historian and this book pays homage well-known, the lesser-known, and the forgotten. It’s a weird feeling to be moved by a photo of Clarence White’s original B-bender Fender Telecaster or Mother Maybelle’s guitar, but it happens when you flip through this book.
If you are here in Madison, then you all should know Bill Malone, the Dean of country music historians. It is quite a honor to have someone like him in our midst. Check out his radio show, “Back to the Country,” on WORT 89.9 every Wednesday morning at 9am – http://www.wort-fm.org
A few records: Porter Wagoner – “The Rubber Room”; The Gosdin Brothers – “The Sounds of Goodbye”; The Louvin Brothers – “Satan Is Real”
shakey is an amazing read
Lately I’ve been into Willie Nelson’s Crazy: The Demo Sessions, and greatest hits records by Buck Owens and Loretta Lynn.
Also, has anybody actually heard any classic country on Milwaukee’s new classic country station “The Wolf” 920 AM?
This reminds me of a certain coffee table book a friend of mine got me for Christmas: Peter Beste’s True Norwegian Black Metal.
link: http://www.peterbeste.com/bm.html
Here is a list of classic country singers worth checking out that don’t get much credit these days…
* Jerry Jeff Walker
* The Gosdin Brothers
* Slim Whitman
* Red Foley
* Hank Williams Jr. in the ’70’s