Country Finger Picker - Jerry Reed

A true country gentleman - Jerry Reed.  This one's tough, because he just can never be duplicated.  We lost a great one last year, in 2008 when he passed away.  Jerry played anything with strings - and with a unique talent.  He wrote some killer songs, had charisma and down home charm, served his counrty, was just an all-around classic dude; he made people laugh (Snowman), and he could play anything.  Seems like all of his songs were more like stories.  Click on this post's title for special song: It is Jerry covering a terrific Jim Croce song.  I was going to go with his East Bound and Down.  But, covering Croce is quite poignant.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3PJEZcA4Kw&feature=related

Better still  - here is carp fishing on the Cumberland River...right before he met Elvis.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjZo-68aBm0&feature=related

All She Really Wants do Do - Cher

This is a Cher solo album, from October 1965.  The liner notes on the back are written by her then husband Sonny Bono.  This record was also Produced and (the songs) Arranged by Sonny Bono.  The Engineer was Stan (Choo Choo) Ross.  Not sure who he is.  The songs on the record are mostly cover versions, but there are three songs penned by Sonny.  It's on the Imperial label and is in pretty good shape.  There is a Ray Davies song called I Go to Sleep.  Special treat - click on this post's title.  It is a rough cut of Needles and Pins, written by Sonny.

Is there a cooler guy in Rock and Roll?

There is too much I love about Chuck Leavell to fit in here.  Has any rock performer been a mainstay in two of the top five major rock and roll bands of alll time, ever before or since?  Name another.  With the Allmans for umpteen years and then a 20-plus year run with the Stones, and counting.  Who else does that?  OK, so he is my favorite rock band piano player of all time.  Of note, he created the beutiful piano portions of the instrumental Jessica, by Dickie Betts.  I am not sure how, but somewhere in the "80's he got invited to join the Rolling Stones.  Chuck's played live with them on our for 20-plus years now.  But wait - it gets better.  He is a noted naturalist and tree farmer and arborist - based in some idylic locale in Georgia, USA.  Click post title link for a fun clip.  Photo is not from a record album.  So I've broken that rule.

Bonus clip here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK-fDH-HklA