Category Archives: Songwriting

Pickin’ on Ninnies

Posted on July 7, 2019 by

Saturday a listener named Liz posted a comment on the Paper and Pen page. I was going to respond there, but then decided that the question was important enough to merit a post. Liz wrote: “When the pickaninnies pick the … Continue reading →

Posted in Country History, Program Notes, Songwriting | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Extra! Fiddlin’ John Carson Played Tex’s ‘Christmas Time’ in 1927!

Posted on December 19, 2018 by

Well, sort of. After I played Tex Logan fiddling his composition, ‘Christmas Time’s a-Comin’’ with The Lane Brothers, followed by Bill Monroe’s classic first recording of the song, listener Paul Murphy emailed me with this news (reprinted with his permission): … Continue reading →

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The Whiskey Gentry’s Dead Ringer—Is Lauren Staley!

Posted on October 26, 2018 by

Hits and Misses 8 “It was a face I’d seen a thousand times at every Derby I’d been to.  I saw it, in my head, as the mask of the whiskey gentry – a pretentious mix of booze, failed dreams, … Continue reading →

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‘Maple Sugar’, Sweetheart!

Posted on May 11, 2018 by

Last Saturday (5May) on a whim I played an instrumental version of the fiddle tune ‘Maple Sugar’ (sans fiddle) from White Mountain Bluegrass, and mentioned that the first version I recalled was from Doc Williams, “with words.” As it turns … Continue reading →

Posted in Bluegrass, Country History, Hillbilly Journal, Songwriting | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Lee Ann Womack—Beautiful Singing, Strange Production

Posted on November 16, 2017 by

(Hits and Misses 7) Lee Ann Womack (ATO Records, 2017) Back in 2014, Suzy Bogguss released an album of Merle Haggard songs, called Lucky. It was for the most part delightful, as Suzy’s crystalline voice always is, but to my … Continue reading →

Posted in Country News, Hits and Misses, Songwriting | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

No Particular Place to Go

Posted on March 22, 2017 by

Chuck Berry reportedly wrote that title in prison (for transporting a 14-year-old girl across state lines, violating the Mann Act).  The song devolves into an amusing anecdote when the the protagonist cannot get the young lady’s ‘safety belt’ unbuckled, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Country History, Country News, Songwriting | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

HA’ppenings: Del Resurrects Woody!

Posted on June 28, 2016 by

Woody Guthrie reportedly left some 3,000 manuscript songs behind, most if not all lyrics without a hint of melody.  Back in the ’30s and ’40s there were no smart phones, tape recorders, and precious few wire recorders.  Radio stations had … Continue reading →

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Another Songwriter Gone: Guy Clark (1941–2016)

Posted on May 27, 2016 by

Guy Clark was a crusty fellow with a laconic Texas reticence, which belied a whimsy that comes out in some of his songs, like “Too Much,” Too much workin’ll make your back ache Too much trouble’ll bring you a heartbreak … Continue reading →

Posted in Country News, Hillbilly History, Songwriting | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Merle, Hank, and The Art of the Song

Posted on May 3, 2016 by

“I look for songs in the world around me”—Merle Haggard I’ve been taking Merle Haggard for granted, for too long.  And suddenly, he’s gone. Merle has been a part of my life since the ’60s, so much a fixture that … Continue reading →

Posted in Country News, Hillbilly Journal, Songwriting | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

“Beautiful Star of Bethlehem”: The Composer’s Grandson Writes

Posted on November 1, 2015 by

Almost two years ago I posted an article about the history of a hymn we have played on the Hillbilly at Harvard Christmas Extravangaza for years and years: The Stanley Brothers‘ recording on King Records of “Beautiful Star of Bethlehem”; … Continue reading →

Posted in Country News, Follow-ups, Hillbilly History, King Records, Songwriting | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments