JOHNNY GREENWOOD
There’s Still A Country Boy In Me
There’s Still A Country Boy In Me – The
Ballad of Forby Sutherland – How Ya’ Goin’ Mate – Roses and Crinolines –
The Rescue From Beaconsfield Gold Mine – Mum and Dad’s Waltz – My Old
Australian Home – A Beautiful Place – Rolling Waggons – A Satisfied Mind
– When The Brisbane Wattle Blooms Again – Springtime In The Valley –
Charlie’s Dreams – She Was Happy Till She Met You – Mother Longed For A
White Christmas – My Richmond River Home
It’s pretty obvious from the song titles on this very
perspective album, that Johnny Greenwood is from Australia. This is his
11th album of good old-time traditional country music. It’s absolutely
amazing how in a country like Australia, the ‘country music’ writers
and performers still hold true to the original concept of what real
country music is, and because of that how astonishing it is to try to
listen to ‘so-called’ country music today offered from the corporate
decision makers in the music business. Pure bunk it is, but put a CD on
the turntable by Johnny Greenwood, expect to hear some really good
‘real country’ music. When the musicians are good I always like to give
them acknowledgement of their incredible talent. Steve Sparrow is on
acoustic and electric guitar (well done throughout) as well as bass and
drums, harmonica and backing vocals. Hugh Curtis is on fiddle and
mandolin (and he knows exactly how to tuck the fiddle in just the right
spots). Gary Vann on banjo. Ray Cullen on pedal steel guitar (a
necessity if you want to play classic country which they obviously don’t
do anymore in Nashville, try to find a country song today in America’s
play list); Johnny also added his own rhythm guitar making the entire
project just right for ‘real’ country music. Nine of the songs on this
project were written by Johnny, and I have to admit he has a songwriting
quality that takes into consideration the ‘story telling’ effect that
was so prominent in country music of the past but hardly visible in
today’s country-pop music. I really like the ‘story telling’ part of
original country music, and Johnny adds it to this wonderful CD with
“The Ballad of Forby Sutherland.” This is very historically significant
because it is about a seaman on Captain Cook’s ‘Endeavor” who died at
botany Bay and was the first Briton and apparently the first white man
to be buried in Australia. That’s what ‘real’ country music is all
about, so as I forward this wonderful collection of great Australian
country music on to the Rural Roots Music Commission, I certainly hope
that if they select this for a CD of the Year award for next year, that
Johnny might find a way to bring himself back to America for the honors.
RECORD REVIEW BY BOB EVERHART, President, National Traditional Country Music Assn., www.music-savers.com for Country Music News International