2ND NATURE
First Adventure
Fast As I Can Crawl – Rainbow Cafe’ – The
Virginia Creeper – Axe To Grind – Smoky Mountain Mornin’ Song – I Still
Miss Someone – The Roadkill Bill – Redneck Renovations – Nocturnal
Creatures – Naked On The Back Porch – When we’re Gone Long Gone – The
Roadkill Bill (with comments from the legislature)
Virginia Creeper – Axe To Grind – Smoky Mountain Mornin’ Song – I Still
Miss Someone – The Roadkill Bill – Redneck Renovations – Nocturnal
Creatures – Naked On The Back Porch – When we’re Gone Long Gone – The
Roadkill Bill (with comments from the legislature)
I recognized Don King’s voice the instant I heard it on
song two of this CD…. “Rainbow Cafe’.” and then again on one of my
favorite Johnny Cash songs “I Still Miss Someone.” I know that Don
recorded this song earlier, in another style, that was a pretty fair hit
for him. This CD is an amazing adventure for me. I know Don King. He
was born in Fremont, Nebraska, and grew up in Waterloo, Nebraska, I
think. He and I were on the same County Fair there with Marty Robbins.
Is that neat or what? He went on to record for Con Brio Records with a
number of hits, and from there went on to Epic Records. I went on to
record for Folkways Records (eventually Smithsonian-Folkways) and had no
hits. Whatever the case, it sure is good to hear this old friend
again, doing so well. This CD got to me in the strangest way. We had
Tamra Rosanes at the LeMars old-time country music gathering this year
(always the full week before Labor Day, next year is the 40th one).
She’s well known as the “Queen of Country Music” in Denmark, and has an
astonishing track record. She not only got nominated for the Hall of
Fame, her recording “Rockabilly Heart” took the Rural Roots Music
Commission’s “Rockabilly CD of the Year” award. Her brother, Brant
Miller came up from Nashville to play a little harmonica and mandolin
behind her. What a remarkable performance it turned out to be on the
main stage. We had a lot of positive from that. Brant in turn gave me
this latest recording he made with my old friend Don King and Dave
Woodward. It’s pretty close to bluegrass, but not quite. The harmonica
gives it some really good ‘old-time’ country sounds, and the super
harmony in the voices also brings it back to super good early country
sounds, and the comedy also keeps it from falling completely into the
bluegrass category, so you already know this CD is definitely going to
the Rural Roots Music Commission for traditional country consideration.
The musicianship is enthralling throughout this well produced session,
and the mix is stunning. This CD….WOW this is the kind of music I grew
up with, loved in all it’s intensity, still love, still promote, and
still perform myself with my little Sheila. What a beautiful Sunday
afternoon this has been for me, listening to music definitely from the
heart, definitely written with poise and talent, definitely recorded not
so much for stardom, but for sharing. OK, five stars.
song two of this CD…. “Rainbow Cafe’.” and then again on one of my
favorite Johnny Cash songs “I Still Miss Someone.” I know that Don
recorded this song earlier, in another style, that was a pretty fair hit
for him. This CD is an amazing adventure for me. I know Don King. He
was born in Fremont, Nebraska, and grew up in Waterloo, Nebraska, I
think. He and I were on the same County Fair there with Marty Robbins.
Is that neat or what? He went on to record for Con Brio Records with a
number of hits, and from there went on to Epic Records. I went on to
record for Folkways Records (eventually Smithsonian-Folkways) and had no
hits. Whatever the case, it sure is good to hear this old friend
again, doing so well. This CD got to me in the strangest way. We had
Tamra Rosanes at the LeMars old-time country music gathering this year
(always the full week before Labor Day, next year is the 40th one).
She’s well known as the “Queen of Country Music” in Denmark, and has an
astonishing track record. She not only got nominated for the Hall of
Fame, her recording “Rockabilly Heart” took the Rural Roots Music
Commission’s “Rockabilly CD of the Year” award. Her brother, Brant
Miller came up from Nashville to play a little harmonica and mandolin
behind her. What a remarkable performance it turned out to be on the
main stage. We had a lot of positive from that. Brant in turn gave me
this latest recording he made with my old friend Don King and Dave
Woodward. It’s pretty close to bluegrass, but not quite. The harmonica
gives it some really good ‘old-time’ country sounds, and the super
harmony in the voices also brings it back to super good early country
sounds, and the comedy also keeps it from falling completely into the
bluegrass category, so you already know this CD is definitely going to
the Rural Roots Music Commission for traditional country consideration.
The musicianship is enthralling throughout this well produced session,
and the mix is stunning. This CD….WOW this is the kind of music I grew
up with, loved in all it’s intensity, still love, still promote, and
still perform myself with my little Sheila. What a beautiful Sunday
afternoon this has been for me, listening to music definitely from the
heart, definitely written with poise and talent, definitely recorded not
so much for stardom, but for sharing. OK, five stars.
Bob Everhart www.ntcma.net
for Country Music News International Magazine