Country AND Western - double live album

Charlie Daniels has hosted his Volunteer Jam for many years (not sure if he's still doing it), this double live record is from 1977.   Charlie started an annual music fest in the early '70's inviting many acts, mainly but not just southern rock bands, to play and jam in various combinations.  This album featrues songs by the CDB, Chuck Leavell's Sea Level, the Marhsall Tucker Band, a great set by Willie Nelson, Grinderswitch, Wet Willie, Bonnie Bramlett, and Papa John Creach.  Side III is all Willie, with him doing a full side medley with Good Hearted Woman, Crazy, and Night Life.  A highlight is the full assembley of starts doing Can't You See with Chuch Leavell on piano and Bonnie singing back-up vocals.

Too Creepy? The Mamas and the Papas

I am going back to some ground that was previously covered, that is the terrific book I read this past summer - "Laurel Canyon: The Inside Story of Rock-and-Roll's Legendary Neighborhood," by Michael Walker. One of the key residents and influencers was Mama Cass Elliot. The book explains a fascinating confluence and blending of rock stars that was encouraged and guided (mothered) by Cass herself. To wit, she was allegedly (really was) responsible for gathering up most of the guys who would go on to form Crosby Stills & Nash. Reading that account of how she surreptitiously "assembled" what turned out to be a Hall of Fame line-up is a one of the highlights of the book.  The current news about John Phillips notwithstanding, I thought this record was worth posting.