Aww Mondays

 

Monday’s Music Moves Me

This week is a freebie week at 4M so I am going to spin a few tunes from the Country. Recently PBS television broadcast the Ken Burns series “Country Music” that traced the history of the genre from it’s beginnings to the early part of this century. While country music had its roots in folk and gospel, the genre has incorporated bluegrass, rock, pop, soul, and jazz into it’s sound over the years. The PBS series was a master piece and if you have any interest in the genre it is a must see. Just for the record, the genre didn’t officially get it’s name until 1949 when “Western” was dropped from Country & Western, leaving us with country music. From time to time a new trend in music will bleed into the country sound. Fortunately, when that sound threatens to dominate and change the industry, a group of artists rise up, get back to the roots, and remind all of us just what country is all about. Personally, I think it may be time for that phenomenon to happen again. the sound has become too pop and too predictable. The current sound seems to be dominated by the beat, the sound, and the party anthem. At one time it was said that a great country song began with three chords and a story. Here are a few stories.

Many experts in country music will tell you that the greatest male vocalist in the history of the genre is George Jones. Others might argue that George Strait holds that position and a few will tell you that sold out stadiums validate Garth Brooks as the best ever. George Jones’ biggest hit was He Stopped Loving Her Today. It is not a break-up song, but a fond farewell from a husband’s passing. When you know the story, it brings a whole new appreciation for the song.

The 90’s saw a resurgence of the classic sound of country and one of the leaders was Alan Jackson. There were no rhinestone suits, no chorus of back up singers, just Alan, three chords and a story.

My favorite female vocalist from the 90’s is Trisha Yearwood. There were several great ladies of country in the 90’s, Martina McBride, and Shania Twain to name a couple, but I thought Trisha could sing the phone book into a top ten tune. Yes, there is a heavy blues influence in this song, but it showcases what I consider the best female vocalist since Linda Ronstadt.

A country set from me wouldn’t be complete without a Dwight Yoakam song. Dwight and Buck Owens brought the “Bakersfield Sound” to country music. There was a little rock n roll, a little hillbilly and a lot of country in the sound. Dwight is one of my favorite artists. What does a break-up bring to your life…Heartaches by the Number. Have a blessed week.

Okmulgee, Oklahoma 2012

Aww Mondays

Momma’s Favorite

Monday’s Music Moves Me

For her finale of September, our hostess, Mary at Jingle, Jangle, Jungle, has instructed us of select tunes from the year we were in first grade. Hmm…I wasn’t listening to music in the first grade. I was playing baseball, football, cowboys & indians, and all the stuff an eight or nine year old boy finds entertaining, so I was unaware of the revolution in music that was taking place. Yes, I was in the first grade at the dawn of rock ‘n roll.

The 1953-54 school year saw a new musical genre take hold and take over the hearts and minds of teenagers across the country. The crooners and big band vocalists of the 30’s and 40’s were being replaced on the Billboard charts with a younger set of entertainers that appealed to what history would call “The Baby Boomers”. Born in 1946, I am a first wave Boomer. Since I wasn’t into music as a first grader, I had to do a little research to see what were some of the top songs and artists of the day. Ready or not, here we go.

In 1953 only two or three rock ‘n roll songs made the top thirty chart and one could hear a heavy blues influence that would eventually become the basis of the MoTown sound. One group to crack the top 30 in 1953 was The Drifters and the song, “Money Honey”.

Generally credited with the first rock ‘n roll hit single, “Rock Around The Clock” Bill Haley & The Coments as well as others actually covered songs from the blues genre recorded by black artists that could not get air play on many radio stations. While this song did not make the top 30 in 1953, it did make the top 100.

When you think of Rock ‘n Roll you think of The King, Elvis Presley and one tune pops into your head…Hound Dog. Elvis released Hound Dog in 1955 but it was written in 1952 and released as a blues number by Big Mama Thornton in 1953 and was her biggest hit. Honestly, I think I prefer Big Mama.

In 1954 Elvis released another “cover tune” from the country/blues/hillbilly songbook and it became one of his early hits…”That’s All Right”.

It’s time to wrap this set up and like many bands in the late fifties and early sixties, the closing number of their final set of the night it’s time to say, “Good Night Sweetheart”. Have a blessed week.

Fall 2017

(Hoping this is a good year)

 

Aww…some Monday

Momma’s Got a Six-Pack

Monday’s Music Moves Me

It’s another freedom of choice week at 4M and I believe I will, once again, dip into the genre of Gospel music. I grew up with the hymns of the church. By the late 70’s contemporary Christian music had separated itself from the rest of gospel music and become its own genre. It is still alive and well today. Early artists included The Imperials, Sandi Patty and Dallas Holm. Today the genre features such gifted souls as Mercy Me, Selah, Crowder, Zach Williams, and Lauren Daigle and there is a song for every occasion.

There was an occasion many years ago when I lost my job. In the construction industry that is not an unusual thing. In fact, I had been laid off work from five positions in a ten year span and this was the last one. Those first few days of unemployment I was depressed to say the least. I came home one day and found that my wife had put an (vinyl) album on the turntable. It was the Imperials and the album was Priority. One song on that album spoke directly to me in a very special way. It reminded me of who I was and that I had reason to rejoice, even in a difficult situation. I was a child of the King of kings and a member of His family. The song…”Trumpet of Jesus”.

One of the most powerful songs to come from the early contemporary Christian music scene was recorded by Dallas Holm and Praise. It speaks of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ…”Rise again.”

The premier female artist of the early days was none other than Sandi Patty. She was the original “Glory note diva”. Sandi had a vocal range that most artists could only dream of and one of her most popular recordings speaks to the moment described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 that describes the rapture of the church., “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. and the dead in Christ will rise first, then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” In that moment, “We Shall Behold Him”.

Another group from the early days of contemporary Christian music was Phillips,Craig & Dean. They had a softer sound and their message often came in the form of praise & worship songs. Every time I look at my life and see just how I was disappointing the One who died for me, I can only bow my head and tell Him, “Your Grace Still Amazes Me”.

Finally, a group that is anchored in Southern Gospel has released a new song and for those of us who claim the name of Jesus as our Savior we are ever grateful to be able to say, “I’m a Child of the King”! Have a blessed week.

 

 Aww Mondays

I like the woodsy flavor of a real chew stick.

Linking to Sandee at Comedy-Plus

Monday’s Music Moves Me

This week our host Mary at Jingle, Jangle, Jungle has chosen a truly unique and awesome theme. The songs are to come from artists that have performed at Farm-Aid concerts. Farm Aid started as a benefit concert held September 22, 1985, in Champaign, Illinois, to raise money for family farmers in the United States. The concert was organized by Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Neil Young, spurred on by Bob Dylan‘s comments at Live Aid earlier in that year that he hoped some of the money would help American farmers in danger of losing their farms through mortgage debt. So who are some of my favorite artists from this growing list of musicians?

The organizers are among artists that I like to listen to from time to time. I can remember when Willie Nelson became a mainstream artist. The mid-seventies saw country music become enormously popular among young people. There was a group of “outlaws” that included Willie Nelson, Waylen Jennings, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Hank Williams Jr. among others that played a new mix of country. These “Outlaws” shunned the rhinestone suites and white hats of traditional country music and chose long hair, jeans, and leather vests for their attire. They were country hippies. Willie’s first big album at the time was Red Headed Stranger and the biggest hit off of that album was “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain”.

Beginning in the 1969 as Crosby, Stills, and Nash, the group later added Neil Young and became Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young. Neil Young also recorded a solo album during those late hippie/drug culture days. The Harvest album was in my collection almost as soon as it was released. You can hear the roots of folk rock in the cut Heart of Gold.

A perennial performer at Farm-Aid is Sheryl Crow and this video, The First Cut, is from her 2003 set. Have a blessed week.

Wall sculpture from Crystal Bridges Museum of Modern American Art

Bentonville, Arkansas

Aww Mondays

“One of these days I’m gonna be a show stopper!”

Monday’s Music Moves Me

This week is a free choice week at 4M so I am going to wander off of the dance floor and into the inspirational genre of music. Inspirational music can mean a lot of different things to different people. One could stay in popular music and say that Old Blue Eyes recording of “My Way” is very inspirational. Others, including some sports teams, might declare that “We Are The Champions” by Queen is the ultimate inspiration for conquering one’s adversaries. I choose Christian music for my inspiration. My preference is Gospel and the Hymns of the Church. Many of the hymns are inspired by verses from the Bible and music is one of the best ways to memorize Scripture.

In times of trouble people turn to all types of resources for strength, perseverance, comfort and inspiration. Regardless of the situation that I find myself in, I only need one thing. Just give me Jesus. He will provide everything else.

One of the early hymns I learned was Blessed Assurance. Even most Christians have spent time doubting their salvation. The truth is, if one has truly repented of the sin in their life and sought forgiveness from the only one able to forgive that sin, salvation and the gift of eternal life is available. That doesn’t mean that we won’t disobey and disappoint our Creator, nor does in mean that we have “fire insurance” and are free to do do whatever we please. It simply means that if one has sincerely sought eternal life in Christ, it is available.

Life provides many choices and there are a multitude of avenues that I can travel, but there is only one way to arrive at the throne of the King of kings. Given the choice and using scripture as my GPS, I choose to travel the Holy Highway. It is not a super-highway. It is a narrow road and is filled with ups and downs, but it is the only road that leads to the throne of grace. Have a blessed week.