LAZY HARRY
The Dog On The Tucker Box
The Dog On The Tuckerbox Story – What Kind Of Dog
Were You – The Bullockies Story – Five Miles From Gundagai – The Story f
The Limestone Hotel – Lacy Harry’s – Yarri’s Story – Yarri – The
Shearer’s Story – Flash Jack From Gundagi – The Story Of Dave &
Mabel – Where The Dog Sits On The Tuckerbox – A Story Of The Pioneers –
Along The Road To Gundagai
It’s pretty easy to recognize this album is from
Australia. Quite frankly, I’ve not heard good ‘story’ songs for a whole
big bunch of years coming out of Nashville, but here it is in Australia
no less. Every song on this incredibly well done story-album by Lazy
Harry is a treat. First off, Harry has a very nice, strong, plaintive,
and gifted voice to suit the song. The very first one also includes a
little “Waltzing Matilda” to verify it’s sincerity. There’s something
about Lazy Harry that makes him very unique. He has a great sense of
humor, that’s for sure, but he also has the very pleasant voice to charm
the listener into ‘hearing’ some historical facts about Australia they
might not otherwise ever hear. “The Dog On The Tucker Box” is a large
feature of Australian identification, especially historically. The
legend began way back in the 1800’s when hopeful settlers followed the
track made by the explorers. In those bygone days heavy loads were
pulled by bullock teams, and brave obedient dogs were needed to
guard the load when camp was set. Lazy Harry sings and tells the story
of that faithful little dog who still waits for his master at Gundagai.
This is what America’s early ‘country music’ was all about. Isn’t it a
shame that nothing like that exists today in so-called country music.
Good musicians back the very credible voice of Lazy Harry too, although
they’re not listed. The accordion is especially nice in several songs.
The whole album is simply full of terrific old-timey country music and
stories. The way the ‘real’ story goes, is that Harry was a school
teacher and decided to pick up the guitar and write songs about what he
was teaching which eventually led him to become an entertainer rather
than a teacher. He did the right thing. His ability to put a song
over, a song that he wrote himself, is remarkable. It’s a distinct
pleasure to hear such a nice voice ‘giving us the low-down.’ It’s late
in the season as I write this, but I’m going to send it along to the
Rural Roots Music Commission anyway in the hopes they might consider it
for next year’s CD of the Year awards.
RECORD REVIEW BY BOB EVERHART, President, National Traditional Country Music Association www.music-savers.com for Country Music News International Magazine & Radio Show
One Response
Dear Country Music,
Thank you for the wonderful review about my husbands Album :the ‘Dog on the Tuckerbox’.by Lazy Harry.(AKA Mark Stephens in the September 2019 issue of Country Music International news and radio show.
It is just one of many albums of his that recount stories and songs from Australia’s history.
Other albums include The Big Aussie Album released 1988. It features Australia’s most iconic folk songs including “Waltzing Matilda”. and been a very popular seller for all theses years.
The “Ned Kelly Story” was released in November 1982 in Glenrowan, Victoria where the Ned Kelly (Australia most infamous outlaw) siege took place. The album tells the story of the Kelly gang in dialogue and song has been playing and selling every days at ‘KATES COTTAGE’ in Glenrowan ever since. Some of the songs are written by Lazy Harry , others by members of the Kelly gang and others are folk songs.
Other albums are featured on Lazy Harrys website.
We appreciate your support.
All the best from Wangaratta Australia.
Keep up the music.
Wendy Stephens