Author: Hallgeir Olsen

January 6: Chuck Berry recorded the classic Johnny B. Goode in 1958

Posted on by Hallgeir Olsen

DeepdowninLouisiana’crossfromNewOrleans,
waybackupinthewoodsamongtheevergreens.
There stood a log cabin made of earth and wood
Where lived a country boy named Johnny B. Goode,
Who never ever learned to read or write so well
But he could play a guitar just like a ringin’ a bell.

You can’t copyright guitar licks and maybe that’s good, because if you could, Chuck might have hoarded them as he does his Cadillacs. Without The Chuck Berry Riff, we’d lose not just the Beach Boys, but essential elements of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Bob Seger, and Bruce Springsteen — to mention only the most obvious examples. In a way, what was at the center of the first wave of the British Invasion could be described as a Chuck Berry revival.
~Dave Marsh (The Heart of Rock and Soul)

Live 1958:

Continue reading “January 6: Chuck Berry recorded the classic Johnny B. Goode in 1958” →

January 3: Stephen Stills was born in 1945 – Happy Birthday!

Posted on by Hallgeir Olsen

 An artist cannot be responsible for what people make of their art. An audience loathe giving up preconceived images of an artist.
~Stephen Stills

One thing the blues ain’t, is funny.
~Stephen Stills

He’s a musical genius
~Neil Young

 

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January 2: Merle Haggard released Sing Me Back Home (album) in 1968

Posted on by Hallgeir Olsen

Sing Me Back Home is the fifth studio album by singer and songwriter Merle Haggard, released in 1968 on Capitol Records.

“Sing Me Back Home follows the blueprint of Merle Haggard’s first three albums, balancing a hit single with album tracks and a couple of covers, but there is a difference. Where the previous album Branded Man was a transitional album, hinting that Haggard’s talents were deepening substantially, Sing Me Back Home is the result of the flowering of his talent.”
– Thomas Erlewine (allmusic)

Merle Haggard appeared on Austin City Limits nine times over the course of his legendary career. Here’s “Sing Me Back Home” from his appearance in 1978:

A little slowed down beautiful version! Continue reading “January 2: Merle Haggard released Sing Me Back Home (album) in 1968” →

January 1: Hank Williams died in 1953 and Townes Van Zandt died in 1997

Posted on by Hallgeir Olsen

Hank Williams (September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953), born Hiram King Williams, is regarded as one of the most important country music artists of all time. Williams recorded 35 singles (five released posthumously) that would place in the Top 10 of the Billboard Country & Western Best Sellers chart, including 11 that ranked number one.Hank Williams died in 1953 and Townes Van Zandt died in 1997

John Townes Van Zandt (March 7, 1944 – January 1, 1997), best known as Townes Van Zandt, was an American Texas Country-folk music singer-songwriter, performer, and poet. Many of his songs, including “If I Needed You,” “To Live is to Fly,” and “No Place to Fall” are considered standards of their genre.

 

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December 31: The Band played at Civic Auditorium SF in 1983

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the band rick danko 1983

One of the most anticipated gigs of 1983 came at the very end of the year, when the Band returned to the city of The Last Waltz when invited to open for the Grateful Dead at their annual New Year’s Eve extravaganza. Before a sold-out crowd at San Francisco’s Civic Auditorium, the Band proved they were still one of the best sounding groups on the planet, delivering a performance that not only delighted the San Francisco audience, but the Band members themselves. Performing classic original material as well as a smattering of choice covers, this performance was captured by the Bill Graham Presents crew and is presented here in its entirety.
~concertvault.com

Richard Manual 1983

  • Rick Danko – bass, acoustic guitar, vocals
  • Levon Helm – drums, mandolin, harmonica, vocals
  • Richard Manuel – piano, drums, vocals
  • Garth Hudson – organ, piano, synthesizer, accordion, saxophones
  • Earl Cate – electric guitar, background vocals
  • Ernie Cate – keyboards
  • Ron Eoff – bass, background vocals
  • Terry Cagle – drums

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December 29: The late great Rick Danko was born in 1942

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I saw Ronnie Hawkins play near my hometown, Port Dover, Ontario, and I saw him play there on New Year’s Eve and the following spring I booked myself to be his opening act on maybe five shows, and he hired me after the first night.
-RickDanko

You put a song on the record or on tape and you stop singing it. You just don’t sit around and sing it anymore unless you’re performing. That’s kind of sad.
-Rick Danko

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