{mosimage}Ralston sent Carwreck Conversations. I listened and thought it decent. I typed him an e-mail telling him that, and then the reasons I wouldn’t write a piece. He took the news well, but wanted more feedback. So I listened to the disc again and graded the songs. There were several very good songs on the cd. Then I told him that one album wasn’t enough. This is good; I want to hear more. One cd is not enough.I became the asshole I so detest in this world. I don’t have to think back too far to remember when it was me telling an editor of a newspaper what I thought of his paper’s policy of not reviewing a self-published book. Then I invited him to kiss my nether regions, but in cruder terms. At the time, I was an unpublished writer. An unpublished writer that had written a good book.Artists, whether writers, singers, actors, painters, photographers, or you name the medium, face near impossible odds. Chosen few are lucky enough to be able to derive a living from what they do, or even be noticed in large arenas. People that own radio stations, recording studios, publishing houses, newspapers, and even websites such as this one are gatekeepers to success. They get flooded with material and are tasked with the unenviable job of telling most their work simply isn’t good enough.{mosimage}Problem is, some of it that gets rejected is good enough. So many made performers produce mediocre stuff and get published. And so many unknowns produce something good and never get the recognition they deserve. Often works get rejected without honest consideration. The bottom line in most of these places is, can we make money with this?Here’s the deal. Ralston Bowles is a fifty-year-old man, just getting started in the music business for all practical purposes and he has a very small body of work. A small body of damn good work.So for all of you out there struggling to make it in this cruel world we call entertainment, take a lesson from Ralston. Don’t give up when some asshole tells you you’re not good enough. First, get good enough, then refuse to take no for an answer, and keep on hacking away.Carwreck Conversations makes the grade. Here’s why: What Kind of FriendWhat kind of a friend could pull a knife When it’s him or you and his kids need shoes? What kind of a friend would do you in When the bomb goes off and the shelter’s his? What kind of friends do friends become When the musical chairs get down to one? What kind of friend could I become? What kind of friend am I?What kind of friend would tell you lies To Spare you from the bitter truth? What kind of friend could stoop so low As to shield your eyes from the mirror’s gaze? What kind of friends to friends become When a blind eye turns on the damage done? What kind of friend could I become? What kind of friend am I?What kind of friend survives the night In a frightened sense of self-defense? Wht kind of friend can take the sache Of loosing face for friendship’s sake? What kind of friend could I become When the heart says kill and the soul says love? What kind of friend could I become? What kind of friend am I?When I asked myself that question this morning, I wasn’t pleased with the reply. Then I listened to What About Me. OK Ralston. You win. You get what little help I have to offer.Everybody But You is a good song. Fragile is great:For whatever you may think of me Any thoughts you might allow I am not who I would like to be, I’m just who I am right now And if I caused you any pain If the words I spoke weren’t kind I confess, repent and take the blame Let’s just leave it all behind We are fragile everyone, we all long for something more Things are said and things are done And the pieces hit the floor – we are so fragileWhatever I did to make it hard on you More than it ever was for me It was never my intention to convey indignity Humble words are not enough I know But sometimes they’re all that come And in this empty field of quid pro quo The last one standing wins no crownFor whatever you may think of me Any thoughts you may allow I am not where I would like to be It’s just where I am right now – that is fragileThen there’s Grace. I for one need more of her.She comes around here every once in a while I know because I’ve met her It’s hard to pinpoint her particular style Sometimes I just don’t get her It’s hard to pinpoint her particular style Sometimes Ijust don’t get her There’s nothing cheap about her that’s for sure She radiates a case for all things pure Given the odds, I’d play them all on her, GraceFrom where I’m standing, I can only catch a glimmer it’s safe to say my chances couldn’t get much slimmer The things I take for granted keep me in this prison The way she walks through walls simply defies description I’m left here tongue tied tripping over syllogisms of, GraceGrace is an angel, Grace is absurd In the face of anger, she brings me kisses undeservedToo much of something will only leave you seeing double Too little self-control is gonna lead you into trouble When she walks in the room, it all goes quiet Somewhere between the dusk and dawn’s first light There is that moment when you just might get to know GraceAnd finally Draper:From the eastern seaboard to the western shore Past the graceless churches, across each slatted floor There are no fruitless searches, there are no faceless poor Everything that matters says there’s so much moreAnd I am just a draper in a room of wool Looking for a pattern feeling like a fool Trying to take this fabric, stretch it to the seams Trying to find what’s woven Underneath these tailored dreamsWell if heaven is the reason and dying is the door What keeps us all from leaving? what is this drama for? And why dosen’t St. Peter just open up the gate? Are we stranded at the station? Or is the train just running late?And I am just a draper ina room of wool Looking for a pattern feeling like a fool Trying to take this fabric, stretch it to the seams Trying to find what’s woven Underneath these tailored dreamsI don’t believe that I’m a cynic, I don’t believe I don’t believe I don’t believe that any slogan will bring anyone relief I just believe that I am moving toward learning how to fly I just believe that life is more than rehearsing how to dieAnd I am just a draper ina room of wool Looking for a pattern feeling like a fool Trying to take this fabric, stretch it to the seams Trying to find what’s woven Underneath these tailored dreamsRalston Bowles doesn’t need much help from me. He just needs to be heard. He’s no youngster selling sex appeal. He’s a mature, thoughtful man of noble heart and strong mind, yet retaining a dose of childhood innocence most people his age have long since killed. He has produced a cd worth your time. I hope he’ll give us more in the future. But if not, you were good enough with this one Ralston.Here’s his website (http://www.ralstonbowles.com)You can purchase Ralston’s new album at Paste Music. ——————–About the Author – Don Henry Ford, Jr.When Don’s not writing books he lends out his talent to Americana Roots to put together great articles like this. If you’ve enjoyed what you read, then pick up Don’s latest book Contrabando: Confessions of a Drug Smuggling Cowboy at your local bookstore or online at Cinco Puntos Press.
Jan
25
2006
Category : Reviews
Telluride to Tennessee by The Woodys (Madacy)–This husband and wife team sound like the musical heirs to the Flying Burrito Brothers and the late Gram Parsons. In fact, they include the song Sin City, written by Parsons and his former Byrd/Burrito colleague Chris Hillman, who provides mandolin and a guest vocal on the track. This is country and bluegrass done with a rocking kick. The harmonies are reminiscent to these furry ears of the Burritos—but I was reading that some people are also reminded of the Everly Brothers. The original songs are solid, the performances energetic and, to my delight, the CD includes a beautiful Lefty Frizzell number called That’s the Way Love Goes. Americana at its finest. 4 out of 4 bottle caps. Well done!
Jan
16
2006
Dog Days by BR549 (Dualtone)—This one is hot off the CD pressing machines, officially released just days ago. BR549 has been around for a good number of years, though this is the first record I’ve ever heard from them (Can’t listen to everything!). It’s toe-tappin’ old-timey country fun, featuring the legendary Jordanaires on a track, and a cover of a Dave Edmunds’ song called A-1 on the Jukebox. Can’t go too wrong with that combo in my book. Nothing knocked me out of my seat, but Dog Days is a likeable, quirky CD that should please folks who enjoy this genre (I do!). They remind me a bit of Asleep at the Wheel, and the Redstick Ramblers, both of whom I also enjoy. Let’s give this one 3 ½ bottle caps out of 4. Round 3 by the Rhode Island Songwriters Association—This isn’t a review since I have ties to this organization. Rather I wanted to spread the word about a fun project that others may want to start among Americana musicians in their community. Round 3 is a collection of songs developed as part of a Songwriters in the Round series developed by singer/songwriter Ryan Fitzsimmons in Providence, Rhode Island (Ryan will tell you he got the idea from a similar series in his hometown of Syracuse, New York.) Essentially here’s how it works: at each Songwriter in the Round evening the audience picks the theme for the next month. Then songwriters involved in the series get busy and write songs around the theme. The next month, they perform the songs. There’s more to it than that, but those are the basics. Anyway, visit the Rhode Island Songwriters Association website for more information. Congrats to Ryan Fitzsimmons and the Rhode Island Songwriters Association for developing this project.
Jan
15
2006
Category : Features
For a guy like me and apparently a woman like Mary also, mercy and forgiveness are vital parts of living. If there is no mercy, we are condemned by our past, (and at least in my case, some of the present as well), and might be better off dead. Mary points out that not only we as individuals, but also our church and our country, even the whole otherwise damned world in which we reside is in dire need of this blessed sacrament.Mary pleads on our behalf.A couple of things about mercy and forgiveness: Those that have the most to regret tend to be the most grateful with they find it. And finding it usually requires an honest evaluation of where you are in life. This is rarely easily done. Mary shows the way in her songs, peering into dark recesses without flinching, and describing what she finds there. Mary’s experience provided plenty of dark recesses to peer into, not only her own but also in the lives of others she encountered and tried to love along the way. Some of Mary’s hardships resulted from her own actions. But other problems awaited her arrival into the world and were therefore beyond her control. Here (http://www.marygauthier.com/press.html#bio) is a bio that provides more detail to that story, better than anything I can come up with. For those that won’t go there, a brief summation: Mary was adopted at the age of one by a couple in Louisiana. The family that took her in became dysfunctional—her father, an alcoholic, her mother, a victim of cancer and depression. Mary rebelled in her teens. She used drugs and booze. By fifteen she stole the family car and ran away. She spent her 18th birthday incarcerated. She failed to master the skills needed to break her habits in one stint after another at various rehab clinics. Early adulthood proved equally difficult.Mary didn’t take a drink of life on the dark side of town; she guzzled it to the brink of killing herself. After thirty-five years of living through and then searching for a way out of her own private hell, Mary found at least a few answers or at least better understood the questions. She kicked the drugs, the booze and other self-destructive habits. Mary worked for a time as a restaurateur while dabbling with song writing. She took the leap into working full time as a musician and a performer late in life and against all odds is now one of the best in the business. If the list of publications that recognized her album as one of the best in ’05 is any indication, I am not the only one that thinks so. Check out recent news on her homepage .After buying Mercy Now I went back and bought a couple of her older albums. I’m not saying they aren’t good, because they are, but Mercy Now is far and away the best work she has done. Unlike artists that hit a lick and then fade, Mary is getting better and better with time. What was once her greatest weakness is now her greatest strength—she’s a truth-teller, even when it hurts.Here’s her page at Lonestarmusic.com. ——————– About the Author – Don Henry Ford, Jr. When Don’s not writing books he lends out his talent to Americana Roots to put together great articles like this. If you’ve enjoyed what you read, then pick up Don’s latest book Contrabando: Confessions of a Drug Smuggling Cowboy at your local bookstore or online at Cinco Puntos Press.
Jan
10
2006
Category : Reviews
With all that said, 2005 saw Mick and Keith etc. release one of their more acclaimed albums in years. But, after all the hype, is A Bigger Bang a bust, at least from an Americana perspective? Let’s take it track by track: 1) Rough Justice: An in-your-face opener that let’s you know from the start that the Stones still got it—the licks, the hooks, the attitude, the energy. A torrid rock ‘n blues rave up. Yessss! 2) Let Me Down Slow: The energy steps back a bit on this mid-tempo kick-ass almost-country number. Mick and Keith harmonize, and Ronnie Wood plays slide, like he did in the opener. 3) It Won’t Take Long: A standard rock number that’s probably more propelled by the Stones’ performance than the songwriting. Not their strongest. 4) Rain Fall Down: A funky, ominous thing with a prominent decadent disco-like rhythm guitar in the forefront. A track I could see blasting on the dance floor at Studio 54 in the bad old days. Mick plays guitar, keyboards and vibes, according to the liner notes. 5) Streets of Love: A catchy ballad you may have heard on the radio. Why not? It’s radio friendly. A sensitive Mick song, sort of like Waiting on a Friend. 6) Back of My Hand: A straight blues track, with only Mick, Keith and Charlie playing. Sounds like a homage to the great Muddy Waters. No better acolytes than these three guys. 7) She Saw Me Coming: A catchy, but not particularly memorable mid-tempo rocker. A filler to these furry ears. 
Biggest Mistake: The Stones go country. Anybody wanna cover this one? Steel guitar could work, though the Stones don’t use one. 9) This Place is Empty: Keith steps to the mike, and plays guitar, piano and bass. A mid-tempo ballad that the Soul-of-the-Stones rasps his way through. Nothing special, other than the fact that Keith is alive to sing it. 10) Oh No Not You Again: After Keith’s ballad, apparently they felt the need to recapture the energy of Rough Justice. They don’t succeed, but it’s a lively rave-up anyway. They could have dropped this one. 11) Dangerous Beauty: A song that would totally tank, if it weren’t for the Stones giving it their loose-as-a-goose guitar sound. Any song with that treatment is going to sound okay. 12) Laugh, I Nearly Died: An impassioned vocal from Mick and tasty guitar work from Mick and Keith nearly save this. Nearly. 13) Sweet Neo Con: I was prepared to hate this one, because I don’t care what the Stones think about Dick Cheney, who this song seems to be about. The track re-energizes the album. Particularly liked Mick’s bluesy harmonica. 14) Looked What the Cat Dragged In: A slashing funky guitar number. Worth waiting for. 15) Driving Too Fast: A nothing-special rocker. Forgettable. 16) Infamy: Keith back up front to close the album. The song is in a good key for Keith, giving his voice a clearer sound. Mick stands out with his harmonica playing. Unfortunately, the song doesn’t go anywhere. Oh well, nice to hear Keith sounding healthy. 3 ½ bottle caps out of 4. Sharper songwriting would have taken it up a notch.
Jan
09
2006
Category : Features
I�ve heard someone say that describing Americana music is difficult, but that they recognize it when they hear it. When I listen to John Mellencamp sing, I hear Americana music, some of the best ever produced. I also hear rock and roll, country, blues, and folk. He fits no one classification. But there is something absolutely American about this man and the music he writes.
John is a product of the heartland�Indiana. Time and again he turned his attention to that land and its people, the breadbasket of our civilization. Time and again he fought the music establishment to say what he wanted, at one point, even to use his own name. Yes, music executives changed his name to John Cougar to make it more appealing to the public. Pissed him right off and started a war that continues to this day.
John champions worthy causes. He, along with Willie Nelson and Neil Young founded Farm-aid, a gathering of musicians to raise awareness and money for those that feed us. You�ll recognize many Americana musicians participating in the yearly concert that organization sponsors. This year marked their twentieth anniversary. A look at recent news on him will reveal one charity event after another�John giving back to the land that gave to him. And not just his voice, but also his heart, soul and mind.
John is a social activist. His songs decry injustices and promote tolerance and understanding for the wide spectrum of people that make up our nation. He understands love and the human condition and has lessons to teach garnered from a life spent in the fast lane. It�s hard for me to believe, but John turned 55 this year.
John hasn�t written much new material in recent years, but in 2004 he released a double cd containing most of his better songs with two new additional tunes worthy of your time. I find this album an integral part of my music collection. An Americana collection absent his work is incomplete.
I won�t waste your time telling you about this man and his music because it probably isn�t necessary. A stroll through the hits on his last album speaks for itself.
Here�s a decent biography.
And a history of Farm-aid concerts.
For you younger musicians out there, John Mellencamp has a lesson or ten to teach, and you�ll have some fun while you�re at it. Buy the album. Listen. Learn� Feel.
Yep, he�s Americana.——————–
About the Author – Don Henry Ford, Jr.
When Don’s not writing books he lends out his talent to Americana Roots to put together great articles like this. If you’ve enjoyed what you read, then pick up Don’s latest book Contrabando: Confessions of a Drug Smuggling Cowboy at your local bookstore or online at Cinco Puntos Press.