by Robert Wilkinson
We're in the thick of a bunch of great musical birthdays this week, and our Sunday show is where folk meets bluegrass!
Before we get to our birthday performances, we’ll mark a historical milestone from 2 weeks ago that I forgot. It was on September 10, 1954, that a young man recorded his 2nd tune at Sun Records that would blow open the doors of pop music forever! (Interestingly, his first record was “That’s All Right Mama,” with “Blue Moon of Kentucky” as the “B” side, which is featured in our last set tonight since Bill Monroe wrote and made that tune big, and Elvis took it into the stratosphere!) For your enjoyment, the King very live and kinetic on stage serving up the Roy Brown/Wynonie Harris classic “Good Rockin’ Tonight”
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We’ll begin our musical Virgo variety show with a set from an obscure legend! George Cromarty (September 15, 1941 – February 12, 1992) was a folk singer-songwriter. He was part of the New Folk movement in the early 60s, and gave us a couple of real gems!
This was recorded live. The funny lead in is great, and the song begins about 2 minutes in. Very funny! “Plastic Jesus”
You’ll recall it was made famous by Paul Newman’s performance of it in Cool Hand Luke! Here’s all 2 minutes of that memorable scene! “Plastic Jesus”
A little history of this famous song. “The original version of "Plastic Jesus" was an actual radio advertisement in the1940s and 50s for a company that made plastic dashboard statuettes of Jesus and offered them for sale in various states including Texas and West Virginia.… It was actually written by two West Coast musicians, Ed Rush and George Cromarty, who were members of the Goldcoast Singers. Ed Rush traced the song back to an African-American camp-meeting song with lyrics "I don't care if it rains or freezes, leaning on the arms of my Jesus," which was the theme song of a religious radio program broadcast from Baton Rouge in the 1940s. The parody lyrics are based on this line.”
”(It was) a station with the call letters (maybe) XERB, from Del Rio, Texas. The transmitter was just over the Rio Grande, in Mexico… peddled all sorts of tacky quasi-religious stuff, including plastic statues of Jesus, Mary, etc. These were guaranteed to protect the buyer, especially if he sent cash. One of our favorite programs often featured rousing spiritual anthems, including one song that started, 'I don't care if it rains or freezes, leaning on the arms of Jesus...' Being slightly irreverent teenagers, George and I came up with 'I don't care if it rains or freezes, long as I've got my plastic Jesus...', etc, etc. I clearly recall rolling on the floor with laughter for about an hour."
This was nominated for a Golden Globe in 2014! “Please Mr. Kennedy”
Here’s his entire discography. Definitely a trip through the past.
Here They Are! The Goldcoast Singers (1962)
Grassroots Guitar (1973)
He did an album for kids called The Only One: Music for People Who Are Still Growing in 1973, but it’s nowhere to be found. However, I did find a few clips from that work.
”Captain Owl” has disappeared.
We’ll close with his final album, Wind In the Heather (1984)
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Our next act is Leo Kottke (September 11, 1945), well-known and loved folkie who plays an amazing slide guitar! He’s done so many gigs there’s no way to do a complete tribute today, so here are a few of his best!
From 1981 on Austin City Limits, ”June Bug,” “Pamela Brown,” “Orange Room,” and “Louise”
Also from the early 80s, on German tv, a great performance of “Pamela Brown”
Live in 1977, doing a very strange arrangement of the Byrds’ classic “8 Miles High”
Live in the early 70s, the first song he ever composed for slide! “Vaseline Machine Gun.” This is a bit more mellow, if you can use that word for this song. Live in 2008, Leo’s still got it! “Vaseline Machine Gun.” And this was the album version which had everyone’s jaw on the floor back when. Wow! “Vaseline Machine Gun”
Here’s the entire fantastic first album! This was mindblowing at the time! 6 and 12 String Guitar
This is my personal favorite from that album. Give it a listen! “Ojo”
Here’s a GREAT live version from a 1977 show! “Ojo”
“Mona Ray” and “Morning Is A Long Way Home”
“San Antonio Rose,” “America The Beautiful,” “Vaseline Machine Gun”
We’ll close this brief set with a great clip of Leo, Doc Watson, and Chet Atkins doing “The Last Steam Engine Train”
For our encore, from 1987 on Prairie Home Companion, Chet and Leo giving us the Santo and Johnny classic “Sleepwalk”
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Bill Monroe (September 13, 1911 – September 9, 1996) was THE mandolinist, singer, and songwriter who literally created bluegrass music. His backing band, the Blue Grass Boys, gave the style it’s name. He was around forever, and is loved to this day.
Here’s the tune he’s best known for, a song that someone in Memphis made into a rocket ship to the stars! “Blue Moon of Kentucky” In 1954, the King blew some doors down! “Blue Moon of Kentucky”
Here’s his first recording from 1935 which became an instant hit! (Well, it WAS 1935....) "What Would You Give in Exchange For Your Soul?"
He cut this in 1950. Here’s a live performance from 1956 (with some strange television effects) of “Uncle Pen” Last year I had “The Story of Uncle Pen” narrated by Bill, but this year it’s gone.
From 1940, the tune that got him a slot at the Grand Old Opry! “Mule Skinner Blues” Here's a great clip of Bill and Dolly live cranking out “Mule Skinner Blues”
From 1946-47 when he had Flatt and Scruggs in the band, a few of his big ones!
A great live 1965 television performance of "Blue Grass Breakdown"
Another from the same year, “Uncle Pen”
"Little Cabin Home on the Hill"
He had his golden era in 1949-1951!
Live on the Grand Old Opry, a short version of "My Little Georgia Rose"
From 1980 at Ford’s Theater performing for President Jimmy Carter, an audio only version of "My Little Georgia Rose"
Last year I had this live in 1959, but that clip disappeared. So here’s another live version from 2018. "On and On"
Live on the Grand Old Opry in 1965, "Uncle Pen"
We’ll close this tribute with a few instrumentals!
From 1958, "Big Mon"
From 1953, "Get Up John"
And for the finale, the mandolin at its best! "Rawhide."
Last year’s encore was a clip titled “Bill Monroe on Austin City Limits – 1981 & 1986” but it’s disappeared. Instead, for this year’s encore, we have both of those appearances on Austin City Limits in two parts. This is great bluegrass!
Bill Monroe on Austin City Limits – 1981
Bill Monroe on Austin City Limits – 1986
© Copyright 2023 Robert Wilkinson
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