#Chet Atkins And Friends

[tfc2211]

Chet Atkins - Deep Thumb Blues / Intro Chet Atkins, Mark Knopfler – I'll See You In My Dreams Mark Knopfler, Chet Atkins – Walk Of Life Everly Brothers, Chet, Mark – All I Have To Do Is Dream Everly Brothers, Chet, Mark – Bye Bye Love     Everly Brothers, Chet, Mark – Wake Up Little Susie Everly Brothers, Chet, Mark – Why Worry (Now) Emmylou Harris – Precious Memories Chet Atkins – Waltz For The Lonely Michael McDonald, Mark, Chet, Emmylou – I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near) Waylon Jennings – (My) Rose In Paradise Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson – Good Hearted Woman Willie Nelson, Chet, Mark – Island In The Sea Chet Atkins – Sunrise Chet Atkins, Mark Knopfler – Imagine Chet Atkins – I Still Can't Say Goodbye Everyone – Corinna, Corinna

#Chet Atkins #Chet Atkins And Friends #Mark Knopfler #Everly Brothers #Emmylou Harris #Michael McDonald #Waylon Jennings #Willie Nelson #The Cinemax Sessions #Reblog #Corrected Tracklist #1987

[humongouscasheaglebagel]

I brought this guitar for a friend who’d flown in for my Sierra Club service project & wanted to try my Chet Atkins Gretsch. We had quite a combo: me on lead, the friend on this acoustic guitar, another on washtub bass, & some singers.

#me #guitar #day off on a service project I led #in Guadalupe Mtns #in NPS building #my typical Longhorns t-shirt🤘 #texas trans pecos

[teddypdf]

btw love in my heart love in the world around me love in strangers love in old friends love in do i ever cross your mind by chet atkins and dolly parton

#mios #dolly parton

[mywifeleftme]

126: Don Gibson // Oh Lonesome Me

Oh Lonesome Me Don Gibson 1958, RCA Victor

The back cover blurb is a lost art in today’s record design business, and I think it stinks! How many generations of music buyers have been robbed of the opportunity to read some record producer or anonymous A&R flack hyping up Kool Keith as a “talented young man with a sound that is really out there” or Radiohead as “the next James”?

I bring this up as I look at the back of Don Gibson’s Oh Lonesome Me, which features an ‘introduction’ to the man behind the music by Lowell Blanchard, the station manager at WNOX, Knoxville, Tennessee, where Gibson had worked on “The Midday Merry-Go-Round” programme for the past seven years. Although the album contains two all-time country standards in the title track and “I Can’t Stop Lovin’ You,” Blanchard’s write-up reads more like a letter of reference for an applicant to the pipefitter’s union. “I think you’ll enjoy Don’s album,” Blanchard concludes. “It’s good music by a nice guy who likes people.” That’s very mild flogging for the album that launched both Gibson and producer Chet Atkins to stardom, and inaugurated the Nashville Sound that would dominate country music for the next two decades, but perhaps Tennesseans are a more reserved people than I’d figured them for.

A friend who’s weathered my periodic bouts of Gibson mania calls him “Buddy Holly as an Adult Man,” and I think that’s pretty good; stripped (by Atkins) of the usual fiddles and steel guitars, Gibson’s sound is as legible as rock ‘n’ roll as it is country. He was a fine singer, if not a particularly distinctive one, but as a songwriter, he was a wonder. It’s no exaggeration to say every Gibson song is fundamentally about the same thing, or that pretty much all of them are maddeningly catchy. Nicknamed “the Sad Poet,” the large-domed chanteur wrote fizzy hit after hit about the car door being slammed on his (emotional) dick. It’s hard to choose a favourite sadsack Gibson lyric: “Give Myself a Party” maybe, in which he throws a solo rager with all the stuff his ex left behind; or “(I’d Be) A Legend in My Time,” one of several songs where he turns being a loser into a competitive sport. Despite this artistic fixation on misery, his lyrics aren’t a baroquely weird psychic mess like Roy Orbison’s (a fan who once recorded an entire LP of Gibson covers); his writing has such an elemental simplicity any performer can make them their own. That’s why he’s such a popular cover choice, with “I Can’t Stop Lovin’ You” alone having been recorded over 700 times.

Still though, I tend to prefer Don’s steady, reliable takes to those of his interpreters. Oh Lonesome Me has a lot of his biggies (including both “Bad, Bad Day” and “Blue, Blue Day”), and with Atkins’ eye on not only the country but the pop charts, everything gets the star treatment. The (cut me into little pieces and mail me around the country) unsung heroes are Elvis Presley’s backup singers, the Jordinaires, who hang a heavenly gauze over the ballads and lend the fast ones a bubbly excitement. It doesn’t hurt having Atkins, the ace of session ace guitarists, sitting in either—his jazzy, Les Paul-ish licks on slow blues “Heartbreak Avenue” are an absolute treat.

I’ve got quite a few Gibson records on my shelf, and you can’t really go wrong with any of his ‘50s and ‘60s output, though things get a little ropey by the ‘70s. To name but two, the ’63 compilation I Wrote a Song is a desert island disc for me, and Girls, Guitars and Gibson from ’61 is every bit as good as Oh Lonesome Me despite not being quite so laden with hits.

126/365

#don gibson #'50s music #'50s country #country music #classic country #music review #vinyl record #big head #chet atkins #the jordinaires

[shoesofthefishermanswife]

i was tagged by @broke-bruce-wayne to put my on repeat on shuffle and report the first ten songs

1. my babe - little walter

2. tell it like it is - aaron neville

3. 9 to 5 - dolly parton

4. right or wrong - wanda jackson

5. nobody knows you when you’re down and out - nina simone

6. do i ever cross your mind - chet atkins and dolly parton

7. turn to stone - electric light orchestra

8. a woman, a lover, a friend -jackie wilson

9. ‘round midnight- samara joy

10. born under a bad sign - albert king

tagging @capedcrusadr @deadgirlsupremacy @femmevenimeuse

#i’ve been listen to so much 60s country i’m surprised more didn’t make it onto this list #thank you mike! #tag games

[ruknowhere]

I was on the beach but I was thinking about the bay Got to the bay but by then I was far away I was on the ground but looking straight into the sun But the sun went down and I couldn't find another one For awhile For because it was an all-burning feeling in my chest To fill the void Of a long night unwatched by, well, the sun Until the morn Until when, well, the sun's reborn And so am I From all the scorn buried deep Within the psyche of my soul I was standing down but I was also on the run In my mind

I was on the radio talking with a friend of mine There was no format because well, we like it like that He was out of his mind and I was way out of mine Then everything went backwards With words coming out Bassackwards And I appreciate him to the utmost degree

I was on the beach but I was thinking about the bay Got to the bay but by then I was far away I was on the ground but looking straight into the sun But the sun went down and I couldn't find another one For a while To fill the void Until the morn Then everything went backwards I mean, phrases flying out Bassackwards

I was on the moon but more so, I was in the grass So I was chilling out but with a very drifting mind So I was on the ground circa planet Earth But out of sorts But I snapped back, baby Just in time to jot it down and come around It's always nice to see you And I came around It's always nice to see you here when I come around Or when I'm plain come, comin' down Then everything goes backwards I mean, everything moving out Then everything goes backwards I mean, everything oozing out Bassackwards (Strummin' a Chet Atkins)

I was standing up But you know I hate to still stoop you down To my level

Bassackwards And I appreciate her to the utmost degree

Then everything went backwards I mean, words coming out Bassackwards

Just the way things is these days Just the way they come out these days Just the way things come out

To the utmost degree

#mmv #kexp

[krispyweiss]

“Something to Talk About” Songwriter Shirley Eikhard Dies at 67

- “I’m deeply saddened,” Bonnie Raitt says

Songwriter Shirley Eikhard, best known as the author of Bonnie Raitt’s “Something to Talk About,” died Dec. 15 from complications of cancer, according to her website.

She was 67.

“I’m deeply saddened to hear of the passing of my friend Shirley Eikhard, the wonderful Canadian singer/songwriter who wrote my hit song, ‘Something to Talk About,’” Raitt said in a statement. “My condolences go out to her family and friends.”

That song earned Eikhard her 2020 induction into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. Her 18 solo albums and songwriting for Rita Coolidge, Chet Atkins, Emmylou Harris, Anne Murray, with whom Eikhard sung background vocals, and others, earned her countless fans and admirers.

“She was a wonderful person and consummate talent - an amazing musician, a great singer and a fine songwriter,” Murray said of her “old friend,” Eikhard.

12/16/22

#shirley eikhard #bonnie raitt #chet atkins #emmylou harris #rita coolidge #anne murray #canadian songwriters hall of fame

[tvrundownusa]

tvrundown USA 2024.04.19

Friday, April 19th:

(exclusive): The Spiderwick Chronicles (Roku, fantasy series premiere, all 8 eps), Popularity Papers (hulu, middle school dramedy, all 26 eps), Jane (apple+, family, season 2 available, all 5 eps), Big Mood (TUBI, best friends dramedy series premiere, all 6 eps)

(movies): "Late Night with the Devil" (Shudder, supernatural horror, ~95mins), Zack Snyder's "Rebel Moon" (netflix, Part 2/2: "The Scargiver")

(streaming weekly): A Gentleman in Moscow (Para+), Franklin (apple+), Sugar (apple+), Manhunt: "The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer" (apple+, limited series finale)

(specials): "The 100th: Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden" (CBS, concert reair, 2hrs), "Chet, We Still Can't Say Goodbye" (CMT, making of Atkins tribute album)

(hour 1): S.W.A.T. (CBS), BMF (Starz), RuPaul's Drag Race (MTV, 90mins), Shark Tank (ABC), Penn & Teller: Fool Us (theCW)

(hour 2): "Mary & George" (Starz), RuPaul's Drag Race (MTV, contd, season 16 finale)

(hour 3): Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO)

(hour 4 - latenight): "Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show" (HBO)

[preempted, returning next week: Fire Country (CBS), Blue Bloods (CBS) ]

#BillyJoel #ChetAtkins #JaneGoodall #television

[ledenews]

Roger Hoard: Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda, Whatever! ... The Man Makes Marvelous Music

Although footage has yet to be discovered, it is very, very likely Roger Hoard once danced like Elvis Presley. That’s right. THE Roger Hoard dancing like THE Elvis Presley. Trying to picture it, right? Little Roger, a foot away from the screen back in the black-and-white TV days, and shaking it like the King of Rock n’ Roll. And, oh, what a sign of things to come. Hoard has spent his life playing and teaching music right here in the Upper Ohio Valley, and for a proper description of the man's talents, his impact on the industry, and his contributions to the live and local scene in the Wheeling area, one need only to enlist the assistance of Hoard's friend, local performer Robert Gaudio. "This monster musician whose uncanny musical versatility is unbounded and who has the respect and admiration of every musician who has ever encountered him has one overwhelming quality which rises above his astounding musicianship," he said. "Roger Hoard is a human of the highest quality who befriends everyone with whom he comes into contact. "And that quote is an understatement." Hoard is known locally as the very best guitarist in the region and he's in high demand as an instructor, as well. Why the guitar? How did that love affair begin? I was inspired by Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show. I would get my toy guitar and play along with Elvis. I had a bunch of guitars as a kid and bugged my Dad for lessons until finally, he gave in. I went for lessons at 8 and they said my hands were too small. I started lessons at eleven and was playing gigs at 12. As a student, was Brad Paisley a natural when it came to playing the guitar? Please explain. Brad was a natural at the guitar and a total gearhead about it. I, along with other local players, was an influence on Brad. When we filmed the Letter to Me video, Mrs. Brinkman told me there was a time when I was all he talked about. I didn’t know that. When Brad moved to Nashville, he really came into his own as a player and found his style. Roger has played with many greats, including "Mr. Guitar" Chet Atkins. As far as live and local music in the Wheeling area, when was the best era, and what made it the best? The 1980s and early 90’s were great in the area. Great club scene, and you could play four or five nights a week in the tri-state area. It was a great time too. When it comes to the magic of music, did you offer to teach your son, Travis, or did he ask you to teach him? I took Travis for sax and piano lessons. I think WPHS really helped him musically. In Jazz, Marching and Steel Drum bands, he was like a sponge. I’m truly amazed at how good he is at everything he plays – drums, keys, saxophone, and bass. He’s a great singer, too. We’ve played some great gigs together, and I’m a Grandfather now. No one was aware this 2016 performance would be the last one for Hoard and his star pupil, country music superstar Brad Paisley, at Jamboree in the Hills. What is your all-time favorite moment from your years at Jamboree in the Hills? Being a fill band early on was great and led us to becoming the staff (band). Playing with Brad in 2016 was very cool. Read the full article

[newcountryradio]

New Country 27e jaargang  #T1214(S773) (C17)van 29 januari 2024  (wk 05) uitzending op Smelne fm & Crossroads Country Radio

Album van de week:  Randall King – Into The Neon     

Classic album :  Eddy Arnold  - Turn The world Around   

Hits of the Year : 1977

Maandfavoriet : Callum Kerr & Chris Andreucci – Tamed by Tennessee  

Maandartiest : Suzy Bogguss

Suzy Bogguss/ Alison Krauss and Kathy Mattea, /The red hots – Teach Your Children -   *maandartiest

Faith Hill – Breathe    #1 24 jaar

Nate Smith – Whiskey on You    # 1 2023 

Megan Moroney – No Caller ID

Sierra Ferrell – Dollar Bill Bar

A Thousand Horses – No News

Mitchell Tenpenny - Breaking My Heart

Jelly Roll - Halfway to Hell

Nate Smith - World on Fire     #1.

Randall King - Coulda Been Love Album vd week

Randall King - Burns Like Her      album

The Band Perry – If I die Young         2011

Charlie Rich - Rollin' With the Flow - 1977

Tracy Lawrence – Find Out Who Your Friends Ae   27/1  1968

Merle Haggard – The Legend of Bonnie & Clyde        

Callum Kerr & Chris Andreucci – Tamed by Tennessee   favoriet 

Pryor & Lee - Good Ol' Dogs and God  *sofi  

Eddy Arnold - Release Me (And Let Me Love Again)

Eddy Arnold - Turn the World Around

Nikki lane – When My Morning Comes Around .

Corb Lund - Out on a Win

Emmylou Harris – West Texas Walz (3 in 1)

Emmylou Harris - Hickory Wind

Emmylou Harris - Rose of Cimarron

Randall King - The One You’re Waiting On  Album van de week

Morgan Wallen – Everything I Love     #1 album.

Charley Crockett - $10 Cowboy

The War and Treaty – From A Distance

Bonnie Rait - Angel From Montgomery

Billy Strings /Molly Tuttle -  Listen To The Radio 

Clint Black - Nothing But the Taillights Trucksong

Suzy Bogguss – Two Shades Of Blue  (w Chet Atkins) maandartiest

Randall King  . Around Forever   juweeltje 

Balsam Range - Echo Canyon   Album vorige week

Randall King - Hang of Hangin On    Album vd week .

Jany Szabo - He's A Good Ole Boy   Dutch corner

Ben & Ruud - The Hand That Rocks The Cradle  .Dutch corner.

Henk Wijngaard - Hey Suzie (English Version) Dutch corner

Willie Nelson / Ray Charles – Seven Spanish Angels

Glen Campbell – Southern Nights. 1977

Dolly Parton – Here You Come Again. #4

Kenny Rogers - Lucille. #3 

Bonnie Tyler – It’s a Heartache -  #2

Crystal Gayle – Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue    #1

Steve Wariner With Garth Brooks - Burnin The Roadhouse Down

#playlist new country #maandagavond smelne's country avond #smelnefm #newcountry #maandagavond #countrymusic #playlist #cdvdweek #crossroads country radio

[guitarhappyman]

"One of Duane's closest friends was Jerry Wexler, head of Atlantic Records and one of the most perceptive men in the recording industry. I asked him how he first heard of Duane. "My first knowledge of Duane came when Rick Hall played for me on the telephone from Muscle Shoals a playback of Wilson Pickett's "Hey Jude," which Rick had just finished producing. I was knocked out by the lead guitar I heard all through the record, and because I was familiar with the several session guitarists in Muscle Shoals I realized I was hearing a new player. It was Duane, of course, and I asked Rick to put him on the phone. That was the beginning of a close relationship, business and personal.

"Rick Hall had Duane under contract and I purchased it from Rick for Atlantic Records for $15,000. At this time it was a steep expenditure, because Duane didn't sing, write, nor did he have a band. I was encouraged to buy Duane's contract by Phil Walden, who became his manager and who built the Allman Brothers Band. Phil set up Capricorn Records, backed by Atlantic, which became the distributor for Capricorn, and the Allman’s were Capricorn's first, and ultimately most successful, project."

At that time Duane was playing a Gibson Les Paul gold top and a Gibson SG through two 50-watt Marshall amps driving two Marshall cabinets containing eight J.B.L. D-120F speakers. Sometimes on gigs he would play through a Vega P.A. system. In studio work he also used a Fender Stratocaster with Fender Twin Reverb amp. He never modified his equipment in any way throughout his career.

Wexler continues, "while the band was being formed, we used Duane as a session guitarist with Aretha Franklin, Delaney and Bonnie, King Curtis, Boz Scaggs, Ronnie Hawkins, and Eric Clapton. These sessions were cut mostly in Criteria, Miami; Atlantic, New York; Muscle Shoals, Alabama.

"Duane loved to play and he loved hanging out with musicians and music people. He came to visit with me often, at my houses in Florida and Long Island."

There would usually be other musicians around such as Delaney, Curtis, Doctor John, and Eddie Hinton. Duane taught Eddie how to play bottle slide; he used a little glass pill bottle, Coricidin type, and once wrote to the manufacturer telling them what he used them for and they in turn sent a whole case to him. He used to give these out to his admirers.

Wexler goes on, "His playing was incredible. He played great, authentic blues, and he phrased like the great black guitar players, playing beautiful melodic segments. He was a masterly player, way beyond the chops problem - and being born and raised in the South, the blues came naturally to him. He didn't have to learn them off phonograph records. He was a great acoustic guitar and dobro player. [He used a Gibson Heritage and a National Steel]. He even produced a slide effect manually when he wanted to. He played excellent bossa nova and jazz when needed, and when he jammed, he showed a good grounding in bop, and played a terrific country guitar, a la Hank Garland or Chet Atkins, as the spirit moved him.

Duane Allman "Just Rock On, And Have You A Good Time"

(first published in 'Guitar Player', May/June 1973)

[melisa-may-taylor72]

QUEEN BEFORE QUEEN

THE 1960s RECORDINGS

➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖

PART 1:

BRIAN MAY, 1984 & THE LEFT HANDED MARRIAGE

JOHN S. STUART AND ANDY DAVIS DIG DEEP TO UNCOVER THE PREVIOUSLY UNDOCUMENTED AUDIO LEGACY OF ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST CHERISHED BANDS.

This month the beginning and end of Queen come together like the cosy ending of a contrived Hollywood drama. While fans wait with bated breath for the band’s final album, “Made In Heaven" — completed by Brian May, John Deacon and Roger Taylor with the aid of Freddie Mercury’s last demos — author Mark Hodkinson launches a new book in which, in greater detail than has ever been attempted before, delves into the pre-fame histories of Queen’s musical antecedents.

With previously unpublished photographs of Roger Taylor's the Reaction, John Deacon’s the Opposítion and even more impressively, Freddie Mercury’s Sour Milk Sea, ‘Queen The Early Years’ is a treat fans have waited too long to read. Coincidentally, six months ago, we commissioned Queen historian, John S. Stuart, to research the definitive article on the band’s pre-fame recordings, and as you’ll see, the results complement Hodkinson’s broader picture with hitherto undocumented details of Queen's 60s recordings.

We've touched on Larry Lurex and Smile before, of course, but the vinyl output of those two acts barely scratches the surface, so to speak: literally hours and hours of privately- recorded material of Freddie, Brian, John and Roger survive to this day — as evidenced by the recent discovery of the Reaction’s ‘In The Midnight Hour’ acetate ( see RC 191). So, while the rest of the world comes to terms with the fact that Queen’s recording career is effectively at an end, we unravel the untold history of four individuals' first tentative steps in front of the microphone, beginning with the 1960′s exploits of Brian May. Next month, we’ll embrace Smile, and John, Roger and Freddie's hidden amateur recordings; but first, 1984 and the Left Handed Marriage.

1984

Around late August, or early September 1963, as the Beatles celebrated the birth of Beatlemania with sessions for their “With The Beatles” LP at EMI’s Abbey Road Studios in North London, another rock legend was developing just around the geographical corner. In a semi-detached house in Feltham, Middlesex, electronics engineer Harold May began an 18-month task, helping his sixteen-year-...[ ]

[ ]...old son, Brian, to construct the world's most famous home-made guitar, the ‘Red Special'. In the mean time, Brian would have to be con­tent with thrashing away at the small Spanish acoustic his parents had bought him for his seventh birthday. (Brian evidently mislaid this childhood guitar shortly afterwards; and didn't see it again until 1991, when at a ‘reunion’ of former members of 1984, his schoolfriend and first musical collaborator, Dave Dilloway, returned it to him. Brian was so thrilled, that he featured the guitar in the video for Queen’s “Headlong" single).

By 1964, Brian and Dave Dilloway were already recording amateur duets together, and by linking up their two reel-to-reel tape docks, they discovered that they could lay down guitars on one machine, and perhaps bass, percussion and sometimes vocals on the other. Although the technique was crude, and despite the occasional disaster, the effect was often surprisingly good. One of the earliest tapes from these primitive recording sessions survives to this day, and features Brian belting out Bo Diddley’s eponymous R&B standard, "Bo Diddley".

“This is a mono quarter-inch, reel-to-reel I found buried among various other oddments from the era”,  recalls Dave Dilloway. “It certanly dates from before the formation of 1984. It was recorded in Brian’s back room in Feltham, with Brian on lead vocals and guitar, and myself on bass and drums. The track is basic, but Brian’s vocals are clear and recognisable. The guitar playing is fairly basic as well, but competent, without any real solos as such”.

“ This is the only tape in my collection of those double-track recordings. I’m unsure whether Brian himself has retained the tapes we made at the time, but I believe he usually ended up with the finished versions, so he may still heve them somewhere.”

 The duo also recorded four-track instru­mental cover versions of several Shadows tunes — “Apache”, “FBI”, "Wonderful Land” and "The Rise  And Fall Of Fingel Blunt” — as well as “Rambunkshush”, which they learned from the Shadows’ American counterparts, The Ventures.  Also on the same tape is their reading of Chet Atkins' “Windy And Warm".

 Yet another reel reveals an attempt at Cliff Richard’s "Bachelor Boy", on which Brian, once again, takes the lead vocal. Dave Dilloway's theory is probably correctt; May is known to have a meticulously catalogued personal collection of Queen (and pre-Queen) recordings and memorabilia, which almost certanlly contains unfathomable reels of similar early material.

In the autumn of 1964, Brian and Dave formed a rapidly-evolving band, through which many schoolmates passed, but which eventually settled with a line-up of bassist John 'Jag' Garnham, drummer Richard Thompson, and harmonica-playing vocalist Tim Staffell. After rejecting names such as the Mind Boggles and Bob Chappy & the Beetles, the quintet named themselves after George Orwell’s futuristic novel ‘1984’. Their look was far from sci-fi, however, and they happily adopted the classic, clean-cut beat- group look of the day: jackets, or in Brian's case a cardigan, and narrow trousers; and beat boots. Tim Staffell even acquired that year’s fashion accessory, a pork-pie hat.

The band rehearsed regularly at Chase Bridge Primary School Hall in Twickenham (located next to the rugby ground), and on the 28th October 1964, gave their first public performance at the nearby St. Mary’s Church Hall. It is believed that either one of the rehearsals, or the gig itself, was recorded, but unfortunately, no tape of this debut, perform­ance has survived the years. Although 1984 recorded almost all of their live concerts for their own critical appraisal, to save on the expense of new tape they often wiped over old reels once they’d listened to them. Nevertheless, evidence of Brian May playing live does survive from this period, and the earliest example dates from an unknown gig (Shepperton Rowing Club is the favoured consensus), recorded in late 1965. This wasn’t a 1984 performance, but rather an ad-hoc trio comprising Brian May on bass and vocals, Pete ‘Woolly’ Hammerton (a school friend of Brian’s) on guitar and vocals, and 1984's Richard Thompson on drums. The tape reveals the trio turning in versions of Martha & the Vandellas’ “Dancing In The Street", the Beatles' “Eight Days A Week”, “I’m Taking Her Home” — a song by the group Woolly later joined, the Others — and a brave attempt at the Who’s "My Generation".

The Others comprised older boys from Hampton School, who in October 1964 had issued a single of their abrasive reading of Bo Diddley’s “Oh Yeah", backed by “I’m Taking Her Home", on Fontana (TF 501). “That was good!" claims singer, Tim Staffell. “I’ve still got that record buried somewhere deep in my mind — I remember the singer, Paul Stewart's voice and the quality of the guitar sound. The Others were a pretty significant influence. Maybe not in terms of the music, more in the sense that they were already doing it, which proved it was possible."

As evidenced by the photograph included in this feature, the Others clearly had attitude, something which 1984, or Tim Staffell at least, could only aspire to “If I had tried to push 1984 in any direction," reveals Tim, “then that would have been it. Without hearing any of these tapes of our band — and I didn't even know they existed! — l’d say we probably sounded a lot safer than the Others. Mind you, they were different to us. Their guitar style was very much inspired by American R&B, whereas Brian’s never was. Brian was a unique guitar player: he was able to extemporise a much more original way than most guitar players could. I hope he’ll forgive me for saying so, but I never perceived him as having the dangerous image which was necessary at the time — the cardigan says it all!.

LIGHTWEIGHT

“In retrospect, 1984 was lightweight, a bit fluffy”  concedes Tim. “It was impossible not to be naively ambitious — that was part and parcel of it — and the primary motivation to do it was what we saw in the media as the end results of success. But I guess we were realistic about it — we were at school, after all. Also there was a good deal of pressure in the 60s from our parents, and the conser­vative generation, to conform."

Although a version of “I’m Taking Her Home” by 1984 was captured live on the Shepperton tape, and Brian occasionally guested with the Others on stage, it's worth stating once and for all that — despite the persistent rumours — he definitely doesn’t feature on "Oh Yeah".  In fact, Pete ‘Woolly' Hammerton doesn't even play on the record — he only joined the band formally later on.

In the autumn of 1965, leaving Hampton Grammar with no fewer than four 'A' Levels and ten ‘O’ levels, Brian enrolled at Imperial College in Kensington, London, to read physics and infra-red astronomy. Before breaking up for the Christmas holidays that year, he played the first in a series of gigs with 1984 at the college, a tradition he continued later with Smile, and in their formative days with Queen. Although the exact date of the event has long since been forgotten, a very poor- quality tape still exists of 1984‘s college debut. The set was a typical one, comprising the group’s broad blend of pop, R&B and soul covers, and included the following songs: “Cool Jerk" (originally by the Capitols), ‘Respect" (Otis Redding), "My Girl" (the Temptations), “Shake" (Sam Cooke), “Stepping Stone" (the Monkees), “You Keep Me Hanging On" (the Supremes), “Whatcha Gonna Do Ahout it" ( Small Faces), “Substitute” (the Who), “How Can It Be” (the B-side of the Birds’ final single, “No Good Without You Baby”), “Danc­ing In The Street", “Dream" (Everly Brothers) and the Small Faces’ "Sha La La La Lee".

“Our repertoire was a little too eclectic to have developed into any particular style” reckons Tim Staffell. “But the Small Faces were quite influential. When we were at school, the songs were dredged from all sorts of areas. I’d always liked rhythm’n’blues. Brian’s input would have been Beatles-orientated, Dave’s as well. Richard Thompson would have been more into R&B, and Jag didn't really have an agenda as far as songs were concerned. Because of the nature of the material we covered, our approach to the gigs was almost schoollboy cabaret. 1984 was not a dangerous, moody rock band! Which may have something to do with the way Queen evolved."

1984 oponed 1966 with a couple of gigs at the Thames Rowing CIub in Putney; and once again, a tape recorder was set up to document the group’s progress. Two reels from January that year exist: the first is dated the 15th, and features “Im A Loser” (the Beatles), “I Wish You Would" ( the Yardbirds), “I Feel Fine" (the Beatles), “Little Egypt" (the Coasters), "Lucille” (Little Richard), “Too Much Monkey Business" (Chuck Berry), "I Got My Mojo Working” (Muddy Waters), "WalkingThe Dog” ( Rufus Thomas) and “Heart Full Of Soul" (the Yardbirds).

The second, dated two weeks later (29th January), demonstrates the great variety and confidence of a band which consistently renewed its repertoire. The show began with Jimmy Reed’s  “Bright Lights, Big City", moving into the Cookies' “Chains" (popularised by the Beatles), “Walking The Dog", “Lucille", “Our Little Rendezvous" (Chuck Berry), “Jack O’ Diamonds" (Blind Lemon... (cont)

(cont) Jefferson, popularised by Lonnie Donegan), “I’ve Got My Mojo Working”, “Little Egypt" and Bo Diddley’s “I’m A Man”. The band’s finale was a versión of Sonny Boy Williamson’s "Bye Bye Bird".

For an amateur band with little real pretension towards stardom, or even a serious attempt at securing a recording contract, a staggering amount of live 1984 material has been preserved on tape. Dave Dilloway, for instance, is the guardian of a seven-inch reel-to-reel, which he says reveals either a very long performance or a compilation of various unknown dates.

Either way, the tape is divided into five distinct sections, which might make tedious reading, but is an invaluable reference: 1) “Route 66", (unknown instrumental), “I’m Taking Her Home", “Too Much Monkey Business’, “Yesterday" (featuring Brian May on lead vocals), “Walking The Dog", and “ Lucille"; 2) “Little Rendezvous", "Keep On Running”, “I Feel Fine”, “Walking The Dog”, “Jack O’ Diamonds", “High Heeled Sneakers", “I Want To Hold Your Hand", “I Got My Mojo Working*, and “I Should Have Known Better”; 3) “Little Rendezvous", “Jump Back Baby Jump Back", “I Feel Fine”, “Bye Bye Bird", “Little Egypt", “Crazy House". “Lucille”, “Oh Yeah”, “Heatwave”, “Too Much Monkey Business", “I Should Have Known Better", and “I Got My Mojo Working"; 4) “My Generation", “Little Egypt", “Dancing In The Street", “Whatcha Gonna Do About It", “I’m A Man", “Heatwave", “Lucille", and “Bye Bye Bird"; and 5) “Heart Full Of Soul", “Too Much Monkey Business”, “Something’s Got A Hold On Me", “Keep On Running", “My Generation", "Tired Of Waiting", “Bright Lights. Big City" and “Happy Hendrick’s Polka".

“These are all domestic quality, single microphone recordings of early-era 1984", reveals Dave Dilloway. “It's mostly bluesy material, with some soul and Beatles songs. While the quality is basic, the sound is intelligible, although there isn’t a large amount of identifiable Brian guitarwork. That came later in the band's history, when we included covers of Crearn and Hendrix. Brian's solo vocals on 'Yesterday' (on the first segment) are quite clear, however."

For much of 1966, the band carried on in a similar vein — Brian's and the others' college work permitting, of course. For Brian May and his unsigned, Twickenham-based covers band, the highlight of the following year, 1967, was undoubtedly the gig he secured via through his contacts at the college — supporting Jimi Hendrix at Imperial. The date was 13th May, the day after the release of Hendrix's debut, “Are You Experienced". Brian May idolised Hendrix to such an extent that he'd been nicknamed “Brimi" — a combination of the two guitarists' names—so although 1984 had seen him perform before, it goes without saying they were thrilled when backstage, they actually bumped into the ascending star as they filed past his dressing-room. It’s a familar story, but it's one worth repeating: Jimi enquired memorably, “Which way’s the stage, man?*.

BLOSSOMED

1984's act had certainly blossomed by this point. Their attire was now obligatory Swinging London — or Swinging Middlesex — fare: frilly shirts, Regency jackets, striped hipsters secured with a white belt, and hairtyles extending inexorably over the ears, and indeed the eyes. “Somewhere along the line, there was an external influence there", says Tim Staffell. “There was someone calling the shots. I don’t think all that was self-motivated. It’s something I’ve never been comfortable with, which explains why I split away from it early on — certainly from Smile onwards — because it was going that way; as indeed it ended up with Queen. It's fair enough, but that sort of flamboyance is just not me. I look fairly uncomfortable in the picture of the band from that period. My idea of a rock musician is one with hair down his back, a dirty pair of Levi's on, looking at the floor, thoroughly unconcerned with the visual and external trappings, playing the most extraordinary virtuoso guitar. That was my attitude."

Back in February 1967, Brian’s local paper, the ‘Middlesex Chronicle’ caught up with the band, and captured Tim Staffell in an equally decisive mood; although here, he was more enthusiastic about the latest trend. "Psychodelic music is certainly here to stay”~he claimed. "It makes more of music than mere sound, it makes it a whole and complete art form." Dave Dilloway, who also handled the group's light show, added: “We use everything in our act, including things like shaving foam, and plastic bricks we throw around”.

The ‘Chronicle’ was obviously impressed, and its reporter had this to say about a per­formance by what it called “one of the most foward-looking groups today". “Standards, like ‘Heatwave' receive a very original treatment, mostly due to the sounds that Brian coaxes out of his guitar. Jazz chords and electronic sounds add feeling and nuance to numbers that are often churned out wholesale. Using two bass drums for a fuller sound, Richard's drumming, combined with the full bass riffs of Dave and the steady (rhythm guitar) work of John, provides a firm basis for experiments in sound — an opportunity which is not wasted."

“To be quite honest with you, there’s more substance in the literary content there, than in the musical," laughs Tim Staffell. "If some­one genuinely thought that, then I'm surprised! Brian might have used a fuzz-box. but generally, it was au naturel. I remember in the Smile days, somebody wrote about ‘humming chords of wonder’, referring to my bass playing. The reality of it was that sometimes I did try and play chords on the bass guitar, which might have come out as a deep-throated roar, but actually sounded like a load of crap!"

“We did use to tickle about with a few lights, suggests Dave Dilloway, “but being a local band, money was tight and there wasn’t a fortune to spend on the band." As to 1984's psychodelic sound, Dave adds: “Brian did use a bit of fuzz, yes, and Pink Floyd influences and a bit of screaming guitar. He’d actually built a fuzz box into his guitar, which was fairly unique for the day, but typical Brian. If you look carefully at recent pictures of his “Red Special” you can see the fuzz switch taped over."

In September 1967, no doubt boosted by their praise — sincere or not — in the local press, the continuing evidence of their per­formance tapes and their recent Hendrix support slot, 1984 entered the local beats of a battle-of-the-bands competition at the Top...[ ]

...[ ] Rank Club in Croydon, just south of London. Effectively a promotion for Scotch tape, en­trance to the contest could only be secured via a demo recorded on a Scotch reel. 1984’s effort duly arrived in the form of a two-track master, featuring covers of Marvin Gaye's “Ain’t That Peculiar?" and the Everly Brothers’ “Crying ln The Rain" (on stage, both tracks were usually enhanced by characteristic Brian May guitar solos, but conservatism prevailed, and they were absent in this instance). A copy of this recording still survives, carefully guarded by the custodian of the 1984 archive. “This tape is a quarter-inch, mono reel-to-reel," re­calIs Dave Dilloway. “Tim took lead vocals on 'Ain't That Peculiar?’, and Tim and Brian duetted on ’Crying ln The Rain’. Brian's vocal style and tone can be clearly discerned, if one knows his voice. The songs were recorded in single takes, using a single microphone fed directly to the recorder. There was no mix facility so it has a ‘live' feel, a very good clean sound”. 

The mix was achieved using the old fashioned technique of microphone position and relative volume levels of the amplified Instruments. “As far as I am aware, only the one (master) copy of this tape exists.”

As has been well-documented, after two sets at the competition (one of which saw Brian, Dave, John Garnham and drummer Richard Thompson acting as the back-up band for a singer called Lisa Perez), 1984 won the contest, and walked away with a reel of blank tape (Scotch, of course) and an album each on the CBS label. (Tim took the top prize, Simon & Garfunkel’s “Sounds Of Silence", Brian had to make do with a Barbra Streisand LP, and Dave Dilloway became the proud owner of an album by Irish bandleader Tommy Makem!). More importantly, their demo tape was forwarded to the CBS A&R department for the national showdown, although, clearly, they didn’t win.

True to form, 1984's performance that evening was committed to tape — for an unpublished review by ‘Melody’ Maker, no less — but was probably erased shortly afterwards. The twenty-minute set consisted of the Everlys’ "So Sad", Hendrix’s “Stone Free”, Buddy Knox’s “She’s Gone" and Eddie Floyd's “Knock On Wood". After the gig, the band were invited by a visiting promotor to participate in the all-night gala event which has since gone down as one of the key gigs of the London underground scene: Christmas On Earth Continued, at London's Olympia Theatre, on December 23rd 1967. 1984 was the lowest pro­file act at this decidedly high-profile event, and after Jimi Hendrix, Traffic, Pink Floyd, the Herd, and Tyrannosaurus Rex had all taken to the stage, they only got to perform their humble set of covers at 5 o’clock in the morning. When Brian finally plugged in his ‘Red Special’, 1984 played a thirty-minute set to a very small, and less than enthusiastic, audience.

Also from 1967, and of far more interest, is 1984′s professionally-recorded Thames Television demo tape. During his first-year of study at Twickenham Technical College, Dave Dilloway had made friends with a number of technicians, or trainee technicians, at the Teddington-based ITV company which served the London area. The station had recently invested in new recording equipment, and rather than hire professional musicians at the usual union rate, in a set up similar to the first Queen sessions at the De Lane Lea studios, 1984 were let loose in the studio to record at their leisure. Dave Dilloway's carefully preserved tape still plays perfectly, and includes the following songs: "Hold On I’m Corning", “Knock On Wood“, “NSU", *How Can It Be”, two early run-throughs of the original May/ Staffell composition “Step On Me” (which eventually became the B- side to Smile's “Earth"), “Purple Haze", “Our Love Is Driftin* ”, and medleys of “Remember”/”Sweet Wine" and “Get Out My Life Woman”/ ”Satisfaction". The session ended with a run-through of "My Girl”.

AMALGAM

"What an extraordinary amalgam!" declares Tim Staffell today. “There’s Tamla, Cream, Hendrix, Lee Dorsey . . ‘Our Love Is Driftin' we’d have heard by Paul Butterfield. I’d forgotten there was such a large soul component in 1984!".

Dave Dilloway has the technical details: “This tape is the most re­cent, best and most representative of 1984 that I'm aware of. It is mono, but since it was made on good quality TV studio equipment and was carried out along the lines of a proper studio recording, with separately-mixed microphones for each source, it is remarkably good quality for its age. The material, except for ‘Step On Me', is aII cover versions, but as it dates from the late 1984 era, Brian’s playing is more prominent and effective, with his own style starting to show through. All the performances are competent — particularly Tim’s vocals and Brian's guitar; although the mix is a little heavy on John's rhythm guitar for some reason, probably the ‘ear’ of the recording engineer at the time. All tracks were laid down in one take, i.e., no overdubbing at all, so the sound is predominantly simple, as per our live versions."

And that was 1984′s swansong. In the spring of 1968, shortly afler the Thames recording, mainly due to the pressures of infrequent meetings and university studies — coupled with increasing musical differences — 1984 scaled down their operations drastically. Brian May left the band, and Tim Staffell took over on lead guitar for a while. A little later, Tim himself quit, leaving Dave Dilloway, John Garnham and Richard Thompson to rebuild the group, which soldiered on into the 70′s, content merely to play for fun. They all conceded that 1984 had been a good, solid, and popular local band, but that it didn’t have the necessary spark or originality to transform into a great one.

The Left Handed Marriage

ln the summer of 1965, in another corner of Hampton Grammar School, Brian May’s old friend Bill Richards (who had been a fleeting, early member of 1984 before it acquired its futuristic name), and his colleagues Jenny Hill (née Rusbridge), Henry Deval and Terry Goulds, formed a folk-rock band called the Left-Handed Marriage, named after an archaic form of marrying beneath oneself. By January 1967, the quartet had progressed to the point where they had issued their own privately-pressed album, “On The Right Side Of The Left Handed Marriage", which ran to just fifty copies (and, incidentally, has since acquired cult status among collectors, with a £600 price tag to match).

Although naturally familiar with the al­bum, Brian May as yet had not been involved with the band. That changed in March 1967, after Bill signed a twelve-month contract with EMI's music publishing company Ardmore & Beechwood — a deal secured through the efforts of Brian Henderson, a former member of Edinburgh beat outfit the Mark Five, and more recently, the bassist in Patrick Campbell- Lyons' 60′s psychodelic band, Nirvana. Bill approached Brian to help him create a “fuller" sound for the Left Handed Marriage, with a request to provide guitar and backing vocals on some recording sessions.

On the understanding that the project wouldn’t interfere with his commitment to 1984, Brian agreed. On 4th April 1967, he joined Jenny, Henry, Terry and Bill in AMC Sound, an amateur studio in Manor Road, Twickenham, to record four songs: “Give Me Time” (later changed to “I Need Time"), "She Was Once My Friend", “Sugar Lump Girl” and “Yours Sincerely” (which was basically “Give Me Time" backwards, with new lyrics pinched from the Russian author Pushkin).

The songs were all cleanly-recorded, melodic atempts at 1967 pop (despite the Left Handed Marriage's later classification, there's little actual folk music in evidence). “She Was Once My Friend" is the pick of the bunch, thanks to its Kinks-like structure — complete with Bill Richard's/ Ray Davies-soundalike vocal and, albeit way down in the mix, flashes of that distinctive Brian May 'Red Special’ guitar sound. Acetates of the AMC EP were cut, and the idea had been to release the songs as a commercial EP.  Instead, the set merely became the Left Handed Marriage’s first demo for their publishers, although it did lead to the offer to record at a more professional session — at EMI’s prestigious Abbey Road studios.

The Abbey Road session took place on 28th June 1967, when Left Handed Marriage were joined by Brian and 1984′s Dave Dilloway, who was drafted in to play bass. Two further tracks were cut: the reworked “I Need Time",...[ ]

...[ ] and a new song called “Appointment". At this stage, there was more talk of issuing a record, this time a single, and a release date of August was even discussed. This never materialised either, and again 7″ acetates are all that remain.

Although Ardmore & Beechwood were pleased with the results, they still thought the Left Handed Marriage could improve their sound even further, and on 31st July 1967, they booked the band into another studio, this time Regent Sound in central London. As Dave Dilloway was not available, another friend, John Frankel, was called upon to play bass and piano. The eight-track Regent Sound ma­chine was something of a technological marvel, and the session was flawlessly recorded, resulting in new versions of “I Need Time”, “She Was Once My Friend" (which also remixed and edited for the abandoned single), and "Appointment".

Despite the studio quality of the tape, Ardmore & Beechwood failed to place the songs with a record label, and like so many groups before and since, the Left Handed Marriage quietly disappeared from view. It was left to frontman Bill Richards belatedly to issue the fruits of this last session, when in February 1993, he tagged the three Regent Sound recordings — the final mix of “I Need Time”, the abridged version of “She Was Once A Friend Of Mine” and the final mix of “Appointment” — onto the end of “Crazy Chain”, a CD recorded by the reformed Left Handed Marriage, which itself was prompted by collector's interest in the group’s original 1967 LP,  “The Right Hand Side Of...” . Most of the master tapes for the LHM recordings featuring Brian May have Iong since disappeared along with the Regent Sound studio, and (with the exception of "She Was Once My Friend") the Richards/May collaborations on the CD were digitally remastered from acetates.

RECORD COLLECTOR Nº 195, NOVEMBER 1995

➡NEXT: ROGER TAYLOR’S REACTION 

@natromanxoff, @mephisto92, @moviestorian,  @39-brian,  @an-abyss-called-life, @his-majesty-king-mercury, @x5vale  @onegoldenglance  @i-live-for-queen, @brian-39-may, @toomuchlove-willkillyou, @brimaymay, @sail-away-sweet-sister, @briianmaay,  @inui-mycroft @brianmayislongaway, @balticlover, @astrophysicist-guitar-god, @miez-lakatz, @brianmayoucease, @jesus-in-a-life-boat, @drummerqueenrmt, @iminlovewithrogscar @roger-taylors-car, @crosmopolitan​ @silapril, @sherrifanciesfriskyfreddie @tenderbri, @brianmydear, @thosequeenboys, @millionairewaltz-carpediem, @painandpleasure86, @bribrifrenchfry, @xlucylennonx, @a-night-at-the-abbey-road, @inthedayswhenlandswerefew, @madformeddowstaylor, @drowseoftaylor @queenrogertaylorfan, @let-roger-get-a-lunch, @queen-for-life, @rethought​, @mymakeupmaybeflaking​, @old-but-still-a-child​, @let-roger-get-a-lunch​, @warriorteam1924​, @funnydressesweirdhairanddance​, @painkiller80​, @thefanhuman13​, @yourtieddownmother​, @hgmercury39​, @brimi-stardust​, @thefairyfellermercury​,  @retroromantics​, @sailawaysweetbrimi​, @sophiaintheskywithdiamonds​, @deacytits​@rhysjoejoshtomfarisblog​, @holybrianmaywritingbear​, @lydiannode​, @39-yellow-daffodils​ , @ure-gonna-loveme-when-u-seeme​, @kaykaybeachgirl​, @foxmonkey​, @saik-ava​, @deakysgurl​, @redspecialandclogsandcurls​, @briansrainbowsocks​, @delilahmay39​, @ohmybribri​, @bless-the-queen​, @infunitehearbeat​, @sketchiesscketches​,  @everythingaboutfreddie​, @doitforthevine67​, @recordsoftheseventies​, @tenementfunsterwithpurpleshoes​, @drummah-in-a-rocknroll-band​, @beatlegirl1968​, @maylorsqueen​, @shearrehartatacc​, @gralto​, @alittlepeoplemagic​, @rainbowsockbrian​, @frejudy​, @drivenbybri​, @yourlocalmusicalprostitute​, @omb-xx​, @sassymaylor​, @somekindofroger​, @starlightmay​, @rhysjoejoshtomfarisblog, @freddiemercuryismylife​, @sunshine112​, @chrysochromulina​ @glitteryloveravenue​, @deakyislife51​, @0-primejive-0​, @just-a-skinny-lad​, @drivenbybrianmay​

#Queen Before Queen #Pre-Queen Series #Brian May #Tim Staffell #1984 #The Left Handed Marriage #🎤🎵🎸👑⭐

[leonardcohenofficial]

maddie!!! i come seeking country music recs! i have no idea where to start! tysm <3

yoooooo!! so first off i’m going to tag in my friend and esteemed colleague in country appreciation benny @carmichaelthepolarbear because they absolutely know more than i do and will likely have good recs

all that being said!! my fave country/country-adjacent artists, in no particular order, are as follows: dolly parton, bobbie gentry, patsy cline, gram parsons, glen campbell, loretta lynn, merle haggard, linda ronstadt, emmylou harris, buck owens, the judds, dwight yoakam, mike nesmith, all three hank williamses, porter wagoner, chet atkins, rosanne cash, june carter cash, johnny cash, waylon jennings, willie nelson, kris kristofferson (and those four guys together in the highwaymen are of course fantastic)

#hope this is a good start ari!! #i might have to do a 'it's country time!' playlist like i did with my folks faves lol #tenderflint

[aestheticvoyage2022]

Day 71: Saturday March 12, 2022 - “Sunny Saturday Out On The Town”

Planned a great Tucson day to have fun with our guy Cory that started with a run out to meet Josh at the Farmers Market for the good coffee and an excuse to take a breezy spring drive through the desert together and catch up.  We even stopped out at the homestead to see where Audrie grew up.  The topic of the day was authenticity and composing a good story for your life - with whatever chapters we have left.  We then came back to the Finca for an Actingham weekend brunch on our patio - a staple of any good visit to our corner of Tucson.

The rest of the day was a blur of excitement - a Saturday planned well.  We rolled out to an Art Festival where upon deciding to buy our first piece of real art, we also enjoyed some real Mexican Ice Cream, and a sunny patch of real grass where Wm could get his toe in to practice some walking steps.    We then enjoyed some Happy Hours at Crooked Tooth where AC could share some of her favorite spirits, and then Cory shared his as we ducked into a Kava joint for a couple sunsetty shells.

Back at home, we grilled steaks, played music, and sat out by the fire until after midnight.

And it was good for all of us.   Cory got out away from home and a reset, and William got to meet a very silly happy friend,   And Audrie and I got to host a close friend where we could lean into deep talk rooted in meaning of life.  The excuse for Steaks and Kava was lovely too.

Song: Red Foley - Midnight

Quote: Do it again on the next verse, and people think you meant it. ~Chet Atkins

[kaleidistanbul]

Chet Atkins And Friends 1987 No 1 Guitar Channel

[krispyweiss]

Tommy Emmanuel with Jorma Kaukonen at Southern Theatre, Columbus, Ohio, July 13, 2023

Tommy Emmanuel needed a breather.

An hour into his 90-minute show inside Columbus, Ohio’s, Southern Theatre, Emmanuel feigned breathlessness following a scorching run of “Doc’s Guitar / Black Mountain Rag,” during which he deftly flipped his capo off the neck of his acoustic guitar, and “Mombassa,” a track that finds the soloist becoming a band as he employs a drum brush and his hands on his mic and guitar and becomes a temporary drum machine.

“Damn, Tommy, I had to smoke a cigarette after that last song,” opener Jorma Kaukonen said as he returned to the stage, plugged in and helped Emmanuel - and the audience - catch their breath.

Trading solos and singing in harmony, the duo reprised their recording of “Another Man Done a Full Go Round” from Emmanuel’s Accomplice Two before a grimy reading of “Trouble in Mind.”

Calling it a “real treat,” Kaukonen had come up from Athens for a one-night-only opening slot on Emmanuel’s tour. Taking the unadorned stage July 13 at 8 sharp, the Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna co-founder was seated in jeans and with picks on his right fingers while he turned in an abbreviated, 55-minute iteration of his headlining show, delivering such numbers as “Hesitation Blues,” “Let Us Get Together Right Down Here” and “Good Shepherd” to the appreciative fans who filled two-thirds of the Southern’s 1,000 seats.

At 82, Kaukonen remains a deft picker and has become a grizzled blues singer, though he briefly turned jazzy on “Where Have all My Old Friends Gone,” a recent and welcome addition to the repertoire that ponders the inevitable and the unknowable.

The anthesis of Kaukonen’s low-key persona, Emmanuel, 68, bounded on stage and launched. Seated, he rocketed through two instrumentals that filled the hall with sound as he bounced his legs and swung his under red-and-white lights that flashed on his black pants and white cowboy shirt.

The palpable energy solicited spontaneous outbursts from the audience. And even Emmanuel - who simultaneously played lead, rhythm and bass parts on his six-string acoustic guitar - was not immune.

Soon he was on his feet, singing “Nine Pound Hammer,” and scratching a rough surface on his axe’s body to add percussion to the mix while playing the melody with his left hand on the guitar’s neck.

“Don’t need no stinkin’ band,” Emmanuel deadpanned mid-song as the audience gasped through giggles.

And he didn’t.

Emmanuel was the band as he waxed contemplative when paying homage to Chet Atkins on their “Smoky Mountain Lullaby” - the last track the man who christened Emmanuel a Certified Guitar Player ever recorded - and turned celebratory on his famed and wordless “Beatles Medley,” his blurry fingers flying around his guitar as fast as time passes when Tommy Emmanuel is on stage.

Grade card: Tommy Emmanuel with Jorma Kaukonen at Southern - 7/13/23 - A/B+

7/14/23

#tommy emmanuel #jorma kaukonen #2023 concerts #jefferson airplane #hot tuna #chet atkins #the beatles