Fire on the Mountain: The Charlie Daniels Band

On the Kama Sutra record label (which I read about in the Tommy James book), and later in 1976 Capitol, this is Fire on the Mountain, by the Charlie Daniels Band.  The last two tracks are live performances, recorded at the War Memorial Auditorium, Nashville, Tennessee on October 4, 1974.  Track two is "Long Haired Country Boy" which I thought of this week because at the Westminster Kennel Club's 130th annual Dog Show , a new breed (among 6 others) entrant is the Bluetick Coonhound.  The song goes like this..."People say I'm no-good, and crazy as a loon.  I get st___ed in the morning, I get drunk in the afternoon.  Kinda like my old blue tick hound, I like to lay around in the shade.  An', I ain't got no money, but I damn sure got it made.  'Cos I ain't askin' nobody for nothin', if I can't get it on my own.  If you don't like the way I'm livin', you just leave this long-haired country boy alone.

The  WKC – says the “the Bluetick Coonhound is an athletic, compact, speedy and well-muscled hound, all of which helps it in trailing and treeing raccoons and other small game.  A determined and steady tracker, the standard says that the Bluetick "should be a free tonguer on trail with a medium bawl or bugle voice."  Its name comes from its dark blue coat pattern, covered in ticking and featuring black spots on its ears, back and sides. That color may come from the Grand Bleu de Gascogne (French Staghound) as well as the English Foxhound.  In America, Blueticks were referred to as English Coonhounds for many years.”  Another new breed at the WKC show this year is the Redbone Coonhound.  Probabably mamed for Leon?

There are lots of versions of Trudy on youtube - but this wedding band got to me.

Leon Russell - Carney

Leon Russell - Carney.  Yikes - this is rather hauting.  Not sure I like him in powder make-up.  Leon's in the news this year with his Elton duet CD - produced by - who else - the ubiquitous T-Bone Burnett.  I get it - T-Bone's THE guy you want at the studio controlls when you make your record.  But is TBB the all-time, best ever record producer.  I'll vote no.  My personal favs are, sort of in order: Hugh Padgham, Sir Geoge Martin, Tom Dowd, Mutt Lange, and Quincy Jones.  With an honorable mention to Ted Templeman.  Back to this record.  File it under The Back Cover is Better Than the Front.  Clapton's favorite bass player, Carl Radle, is on it.  Check out his classic Tight Rope.

The Best of Tommy James & the Shondells

I normally don't post greatest hits or best of records, but I must make an exception here.  That is because this post is really a mini book review.  I am currently reading (aloud, to her, in the car) this great, must-read book:  Me, the Mob, and the Music: One Helluva Ride with Tommy James & The Shondells.  My aunt Jane heard about it and sent it to me.  We are loving it!   In short - Tommy starts a tiny garage band in Niles, MI.  They record a cover version of Hanky Panky that goes nowhere.  Two years later - the song goes nuts (to #1) in the Pittsburgh market.  TJ heads to New York to sign with Morris Levy's Roulette Records.  We learn that Morris invented the cut-out discount record.  Levy, we learn, was a ruthless businessman (note the book title) and he never paid any royalties to James.  During his hey day, James made money via concert gate receipts.  We are at the part in the book where they are on their first mega-tour (with the Monkees and Ricky Nelson) behnid their second album.  It's a great read.  The book peters out towards the end - but we liked it very much.  Tommy cleaned up at the Betty Ford clinic, and got his life back on track and then Tiffany and Billy Idol covered his bit hits.  We learned all about how Morris cooked the books at Roulette.