JIM McCOY Tribute to Ernest Tubb
She’s The Best – Give Me A Little Old Fashion Love – I’ll Always Be Glad To Take You Back – Let’s Say Goodbye Like We Said Hello – Waltz Across Texas – When The World Has Turned You Down – Pass The Booze – You’re The Only Good Thing – The Road Is Closed – I Never Had The One I Wanted
This ‘kind’ of CD is what is so terribly missing in today’s so-called country music national scene. Ernest Tubb was a monumental figure in country music, who was able to touch even the lowliest country music fan. That has so changed so much in recent years. We were so fortunate to have Joltin’ Jim McCoy at our festival in LeMars, Iowa, in September of 2011. This 84 year old man went on the main stage and started singing ‘Waltz Across Texas.’ He was in a room full of a thousand people with lots of muffled audience noise all the time with so many people. The instant Jim started singing this song, it became deathly quiet, all the way through the song. Even Little Roy Lewis, one of our best known bluegrassers, as he was preparing to go on next, stopped in his tracks and turned to me and said, “Who is that?” With some pride in my voice, I said that’s Joltin’ Jim McCoy from West Virginia. He’s most noted for ‘discovering’ Patsy Cline, but isn’t he one terrific Ernest Tubb singer?” “Ernest Tubb singer?” Little Roy said. “I thought that was Ernest Tubb.”
So it goes in today’s world of a large and variegated ‘country music’ genre. Joltin’ Jim McCoy did this CD with a whole big bunch of friends, Ike Johnson, Mike Hicks, Bob Rohrer, Tommy Hill, George Riddle, Willie McKee, J B Miller, Sonny Lonas, and believe it or not, Charlie Dick, Patsy Cline’s husband.
Tommy Hill, who we hear sing on this great CD, is also the producer, and had been working with Jim for about five years putting it together. The backing is exceptional. If Ernest Tubb could have utilized today’s digital computer recording systems, my how much better he would have sounded. As it is, Jim McCoy and his friends have put together one of the best ‘tribute’ albums I’ve heard in recent years. Those backing musicians sound an awful lot like the Troubadours. Duke Dumas on lead guitar and bass; Willie McKee on rhythm guitar; Jim Baker on steel guitar; Sonny Lomas on drums; and Willie Rainsford on piano. Doug Farley engineered it at the Starday Recording Studios. It’s a terrific salute to Ernest, and should be in every one of his fans library.
If I had to select a favorite, “Waltz Across Texas” would sure come up fast, however I really enjoyed hearing Jim and his producer Tommy Hill singing the great Claude Gray song “I Never Had The One I Wanted.” Tommy Hill has since departed this old world, but this particular project lives on in perfect dedication to a great producer and singer. This one gets our best five stars ***** for exceptional studio work, exceptional vocals, and exceptional final mix.
ORDER CD’S DIRECT FROM: Jim McCoy, Troubadour Records, 25 Troublesome Lane, Berkeley Springs, WV 25411
Bob Everhart