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Give me your music, your art, your huddled masses of words and rhythms, yearning to breathe free.
Give me your music, your art, your huddled masses of words and rhythms, yearning to breathe free.
the
Give me your music, your art, your huddled masses of words and rhythms, yearning to breathe free.
Honky tonk honey Gram Parsons loved being in the spotlight. Whether he was singing and strumming on stage or posing for the camera in fancy finery and eyeliner, he was always the most exotic cat in the room. With his pretty face, Southern charm, and puppy-dog charisma, I believe he might have been just as adept at acting as he…
"People would say ‘You shouldn’t be sayin’ that. You should be talkin’ about country music.’ And I said, ‘Why not? It’s the truth! Why can’t I say I’m a Beatles fan?’ I used to get criticized for that." Those words are from country music great Buck Owens, who would have turned 86 today. He was responding to the country purists who accused him of selling out by adding rock elements to his repertoire in the mid-'60s. Most rock fans know that The Beatles recorded a version of Buck's 1964 hit "Act Naturally," which featured cowboy-loving Ringo on vocals. But few realize that Buck was a fan of The Beatles even before they chose his song as the B side of "Yesterday."
Okay, rock fans of the '60s and '70s, it's time to get brutally honest and swallow your hipster pride. Can you please admit you've heard of country singer Tammy Wynette? And, if you know the name, are you self-assured enough to admit you've heard, or even enjoyed, her 1968 chart-topping single, "D.I.V.O.R.C.E."? C'mon, fess up! It tells the syrupy story of a couple on the verge of splitsville, who spell out the "D word" so little J.O.E. won't understand. This tune was just begging to be spoofed! And the first one to do it was Billy Connelly - a wild and woolly guy with a funny accent who lived far across the pond in Scotland.
With the publication of Willie Nelson's new memoir - "Roll Me up and Smoke Me When I Die: Musings From the Road," I present some of my favorite past quotes from the great, grizzled 79-year-old singer/songwriter/picker…and tireless marijuana legalization promoter.
The Smothers Brothers - Dick and Tom - are hailed as freedom-of-speech heroes for their battles with CBS network executives who censored, and eventually cancelled, their trippy 1967-69 "Comedy Hour." But few followers of music and TV history are aware that Johnny Cash also stood up to the company men who attempted to police his 1969-71 TV variety show.