The versatile Del Reeves.

Franklin Delano Reeves had a couple of late 60's hits with Percy Me! compadre and former Roy Orbison guitarist Bobby Goldsboro (who Percy and Eunice had the pleasure of hanging with in Reno), hitting the Country Top 40 together with "Take a Little Good Will Home" in 1969. Reeves was best known for girl-watchin' novelty tunes ("Girl on the Billboard", a '64 #1), and later for trucker anthems like "Looking At the World Through a Windshield". Here he is paired with Charlie Louvin, doing a medley of Louvin Brother hits: "I Don't Love You Anymore", and "When I Stop Dreaming", from Reeves' own Country Carnival TV show circa 1970.

Also included below: "Anywhere, U.S.A.", which amazingly wasn't a hit, but check out that stage set. Bonus: steel guitar wiz Larry Sasser makes a brief appearance.

The Entertainer.

In the previous post on Jerry Reed, we linked to a Chet Atkins clip from 1975, a solo performance of the Scott Joplin rag from 1902, "The Entertainer". We think you'll agree, it's deserving of a post all its own.

I keep coming back to one thought after viewing this clip multiple times: Chet Atkins' fingers look as though they were genetically programmed to play guitar. And it's hardly original to point out that he's probably the most natural guitar player to ever live; he just seems completely at one with the instrument. Add to that his gentlemanly countenance, the muffled thud of his boots keeping time, and a smashing polka-dot shirt, and it all adds up to 2 minutes and 15 seconds of prime Chetness: controlled relaxation, and casual mastery. And don't miss the lick he throws in around 1:30 - I had to rewind a few times to catch it, but check the expression on his face: he surprised himself with that one.

As a bonus, we also bring you a clip from the early 80's, and what looks like a variety show from Hell gone completely awry: Chet and frequent collaborator Paul Yandell performing a Beatles medley, beautifully played but frequently marred by cheesy orchestration and wholly unnecessary backing vocals hidden off-stage. Chet plays along with the "hey, we're recording here" conceit, before being joined by the bleach-blonde host, and, of course...Tina Turner? Chet, of course, takes it all in stride...the consummate professional.

"The Entertainer", live 1975, show unknown. Plus: "If I Fell / For No One / Something / Lady Madonna", early 80's variety program (not great quality, but WTF factor + 5):

Certified Guitar Player

It's been a rough week for Nashville. In addition to the tragic loss of lives, homes, and livelihood for so many, now comes word that something like 600 Nashville artists lost pretty much all of their instruments, gear, etc., when SoundCheck, a 160,000 square feet rehearsal space, was completely flooded. Only time will tell how much history has been irretrievably lost this past week, so we're even more grateful now for the music and video, which lives on forever...especially on The Porter Wagoner Show, thanks to "Mr. Grand Ol' Opry" himself (yep, that was his official title).

And speaking of titles...most people know Jerry Reed as Burt Reynolds' cornpone sidekick, Cledus, from the Smokey and the Bandit franchise, but did you know he was one of only four musicians Chet Atkins deemed a "Certified Guitar Player"? Nah, me neither, until I read it on Wikipedia. Here's a fairly amazing instrumental medley from the early 70's, also featuring Paul Yandell, who began his career playing for the Louvin Brothers. "Snowbird"? Sure, OK. And for an added bonus, a not-embarassing Chuck Berry medley that shuffles more than it rocks, but once again underscores that blurry line between musical genres.

From The Porter Wagoner Show (which was actually filmed at various locations around Opryland, U.S.A.), straight outta Nashville, TN.

Journey Through the Past.

You regulars here at Percy Me! are no doubt asking right now, "Hey, what's a dang ol' hippy like Neil Young doing all up in here?". Now, before you think we've gone and abandoned our format, thereby betraying America and all that is right and proper, allow me to explain: you see, back in the 60's and early 70's, Percy was employed as a propane truck hauler around the Northern California area. One of his regular stops? A certain ranch on the Woodside hills, near La Honda, later purchased by Mr. Young himself (ca. 1970), and christened Broken Arrow. Percy delivered propane there on a regular basis for a number of years, even taking my brother along for the ride on at least one occasion. I've long wondered if he had any interactions with the foreman of the ranch, Louis Avala, a Portugese immigrant who, of course, was the subject and addressee of "Old Man". Seems possible, if not downright likely - who else at Broken Arrow would be dealing with the propane delivery man, right?

I never heard of any actual Neil sightings, but it was generally agreed upon in the family that he must have been a decent fellow. And when he showed up on The Johnny Cash Show in 1971? Well, his status was confirmed: Neil Young might have needed a haircut, but he was good people. (And check out the standing ovations - Johnny's audience certainly agreed.)

"Needle and the Damage Done" and "Journey Through the Past", from The Johnny Cash Show, 1971.

Fist City.

I'll be coming back for some deeper insight (hopefully) on the Coal Miner's Daughter, but for now, this is one of my favorite Loretta Lynn tunes, taken from an appearance on The Wilburn Brothers Show. I'll also be writing more about the Wilburns in future posts; they were an integral part of post-war country music, if for no other reason than their highly influential Nashville TV show, which ran during the prime Percy Me! years of 1963-1974.

Loretta Lynn can't be oversold - she's simply the most talented female songwriter, guitarist, and singer that country music has ever produced, bar none (although Dolly Parton fans might disagree). "You better move your feet/ if you don't want to eat/ A meal that's called Fist City." Straight up gangsta.

Tough as nails, sweet as pie, and crazier than a shithouse rat: ladies and gentlemen, Miss Loretta Lynn.

Conway Twitty sings Hank Williams while looking pained.

In the 1950's, Conway Twitty (aka Harold Jenkins) sounded so much like Elvis Presley that one of his early hits, "It's Only Make Believe", was rumored to be the work of the King himself. Rather than continue a career as a nascent Elvis impersonator, Twitty wisely switched to country in 1965, and had his first Number One in 1968 with "Next in Line". His 70's duets with Loretta Lynn cemented his status as a country superstar; his slicked-back pompadour, unnerving glare and soulful vocal style made him a unique character in country music - a little dangerous, possibly crazy, and (unbelievably) something of a sex symbol with the ladies. He had a short life (he died at 59 of an aneurysm), and left behind a debt-riddled, tax-dodging mess of an estate, but for 20-plus years, he was a living legend in American country music.

From what appears to be some kind of tribute to Hank Williams, here's Twitty doing a haunting medley of the best of the best: "Cold, Cold Heart", "I Can't Help it if I'm Still in Love With You", "You Win Again", "They'll Never Take Her Love From Me", "Take These Chains From My Heart", and "Your Cheatin' Heart". This is primal, mainline stuff.

Charlie Walker: Honky Tonker.

Charlie Walker's career started in Texas in the 1940's with Bill Boyd & the Cowboy Ramblers, a sort of poorer, poor man's version of the Light Crust Doughboys (with whom they shared personnel), specializing in the Dixieland jazz-inflected Western swing popular at the time. World War Two ended all that (and effectively killed off all of Western swing in the process), but Walker returned to the music scene as a disc jockey in the early 50's. His fortunes were resurrected again after signing a deal with Columbia Records, and he struck gold in 1958 with Harlan Howard's "Pick Me Up on Your Way Down". From then on straight through the early 70's he was never far from the charts, occasionally joined by Ray Price, and he even had a bit part in Sweet Dreams, the 1985 Patsy Cline biopic, playing doomed country crooner Hawkshaw Hawkins.

Walker's sound here is no-frills, unadorned Texas honky-tonk, straight out of Copeland, TX. It's a safe bet you can still walk into any dancehall in Texas (and plenty of nightclubs for that matter) and find this sound, and any band with even a modicum of taste (or sense) will know this one when it's requested.

From The Grand Ole Opry TV show, 1967, the same year Walker became a member of the Opry, and also featuring the ubiquitous and amazing Walter Haynes on the Sho-Bud pedal steel.

Help Me Make It Through the Night.

Our Kristofferson homage continues...and now that we've seen Cisco Pike in its entirety, we're even more convinced of the man's genius, if not his acting chops. Here's a short rundown of the film, if you dare: bisexual, pregnant Warhol Factory Girl Viva shoots dope in her father's mansion and instigates orgies; Harry Dean Stanton shoots speed, can't get it up, and tragically OD's, after playing the most convincing speed-freak in counter-culture cinema; Doug Sahm raps like a complete hillbilly lunatic, with rare shots of Sir Douglas Quintet playing live in the studio; Doug's "manager" is played by Allen Arbus, who the following year will go on to play Dr. Sidney Freedman on M*A*S*H*, and is just recently divorced from photographer Diane Arbus (who, perhaps not coincidentally, commits suicide the same year Cisco Pike is filmed); Gene Hackman plays a paranoid, corrupt, drug-dealing cop with serious health issues and a death wish; Wavy Gravy (Hugh Romney) wanders in playing a clueless dope connection who nearly gets busted (a theatrical stretch, no doubt); and Karen Black is, as always, beautifully clueless, yet stylish, as Cisco's long-suffering girlfriend...Cisco Pike is a trainwreck of amped-up 60's decadence crashing headlong into the miasma, anomie, and bum trips of the 70's, leaving everyone confused, empty, and depressed. And that was just me...nevermind the cast.

In a somewhat more mellow, er...vein, here's Kris Kristofferson & Rita Coolidge performing on The Old Grey Whistle Test (UK), 1972. They were married and had a kid the following year, and it's not too hard to see why: this is a 2 minute, 27 second-long PDA...utterly romantic and charming, if slightly uncomfortable, and played with tasteful restraint by the band (I'd love to know who's backing them up here).

Malina.

The treasure trove of The Porter Wagoner Show continues to yield gems like this one from 1968: Porter and Dolly, completely bumming you out with the tragic tale of "Malina", a textbook example of the fine line separating Scotch/Irish hill-people music (Dolly), and the English folk/death ballads of her ancestors. Porter solemnly delivers the bad news in a spoken monologue worthy of a high school drunk-driving filmstrip.

"Malina", Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton, The Porter Wagoner Show, 1968.

I Dream of Jeannie.

Jeannie Seely scored a Grammy in 1967 for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for her big hit, "Don't Touch Me". She never reached that peak again, but went on to have a successful career during the 70's paired with Jack Greene and hits like "Can I Sleep In Your Arms?" The combination of a near-fatal car crash in 1977 and a disastrous marriage to songwriter Hank Cochran doomed any chance of long-term chart success for Jeannie, but in this clip, she's on top of the country world. And she's still at it today at the age of 69.

Here's her take on the Willie Nelson song "Mr. Record Man", accompanied by some of the greatest Nashville session men of all time: Buddy Emmons on steel (that's him in the intro, a former Cherokee Cowboy and Ernest Tubb sideman, playing the Emmons steel guitar he designed); Walter Haynes (who sadly died just last year in Tyler, Texas at the age of 80) on the Sho-Bud steel guitar (which Buddy also designed - he's the "Bud") ; Floyd Cramer on piano - easily the greatest country piano player of all time; Jerry Byrd on rhythm guitar - a steel guitar legend in his own right, who taught Jerry Garcia (among others) how to play the instrument, and later moved to Hawaii to pursue the lap steel; Joe Zinkan on bass; and God knows who else up there. An embarrassment of riches, from 1967: