CD Review: SHERWIN LINTON – Forever On The Stage

SHERWIN LINTON

Forever On The Stage

Travelin’ Minstrel Man – Waitin’ For A Train
– Spanish Two Step – Jimmie Rodgers Momories & Me – Yodelin’
Cowgirl – My Old Wind Up Train – Mom and Dad’s Waltz – That’s Alright
Mama – Rock A Beatin’ Heart – Rock Your Little Baby To Sleep – Honky
Tonk Gutar – My True Love – Green Onions – Honky Tonk Song – Cotton King
– I Turned and Walked Away – Sunshine – Then I Miss You – Livin’ My
Life With A Cheater – Every Thing I do (Is Just For You) – Black Denim
Trousers – Come In To This House – Voice In The Wilderness – Livin’ With
The Mexicans – Love Me Forever – My Rainbow – Forever On The Stage

 

Sherwin Linton is a ‘legend’ in the upper Midwest, and
other places as well, as Marty Stuart so amiably says in the
introduction to this wonderful CD.  It took me a pretty long time to
listen to all 28 songs on this very special CD production.  The
participating musicians change on nearly every song.  Productions from
Bob Wills to Booker T Washington, the contributing songwriters have to
work hard to keep up with Sherwin’s own originals, including his song
“Forever On The Stage” which is a triumphant declaration that every
traditional or classic country songwriter and recording artist should
take unto their own.  Several songs really stood out for me, not the
least being “Waiting For A Train” the old Jimmie Rodgers classic, and
sure enough a super follow-up song of Sherwin’s own creation “Jimmie
Rodgers Memories & Me” with a really neat old-time cross-harp
(harmonica played backwards) adding to the authenticity of it, yodel and
all.  Sherwin even emphasizes the importance of the yodel in
traditional country music by adding a song recorded by Teresa Endres
with Sherwin playing acoustic guitar in the studio in Timbo, Arkansas.
Guess who made their home in Timbo?  None other than a special friend of
both Sherwin and myself, Jimmy Driftwood.  Wow, can it get any better? 
Well yes by golly it can.  Next big surprise a duet with David
Frizzell on a song his brother Lefty wrote.  Followed by several songs
Sherwin recorded in the late 50’s which is a very early ‘rock’ sound,
but to me Sherwin sounds a lot like some of the early artists I recorded
for and with for Moses Asch on Folkways Records.  Super good, and
certainly a memory bring-back.  One of my favorite songs on this CD is
“Cotton Kings” written by Wayne Thompson that sounds like he wrote it
specifically for Sherwin.  This song was a ‘hit’ for Sherwin Linton, and
saw him all the way through to ‘Forever On The Stage.’  One of those
interesting ‘in-between’ songs is “Livin’ My Life With A Cheater” which
Sherwin debuted  at the South Dakota State Penitentiary.  His voice and
vocals on this song are extremely well done.  This song should have
taken Sherwin directly to a major-label recording contract.  Of all of
Sherwin’s ‘original’ songs this one single song should have opened the
doors to all-star international and national stardom?  Take a listen,
whoever you are reading this, find this song, take a listen, you’ll
see. I finally got to song #28 recorded in 1995, “Forever On
The Stage.”  This entire production is an amazing over-cap of the music
life of Sherwin Linton.  It’s a wonderful representation of who he is,
and what he has done in the music world.  It’s also a very deserving
accolade to his work.  AND, it is a very ‘thank you’ to his man many
fans and supporters all around the world. It is taken from the excellent
video production as the sound track from the Pioneer Public Television
Documentary of the same name “Sherwin Linton – Forever On The Stage.”  I
can’t think of a better way for Sherwin to leave behind his music work,
and I will definitely be forwarding this to the Rural Roots Music
Commission who I already know will love it.  Congratulations Sherwin on a
job well done.  Best part of all this is, you certainly must have
enjoyed ‘creating’ and ‘making’ all these musical memories. 
Again….job well done.

RECORD REVIEW BY BOB EVERHART,     President National Traditional Country Music Assn., www.music-savers.com   

for Country Music News International

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