Johnny Cash: The Man, His World, His Music

Written by Fantasma el Rey

The award-winning PBS documentary series P.O.V., now in its 21st season, will proudly present Johnny Cash: The Man, His World, His Music on Tuesday August 5th. This rarely seen gem by Bob Elfstrom was filmed in 1968-69 while Johnny Cash was at one of the highest points of his career. Bob and his crew, consisting of “My camera, my sound recordist Alan Dater,” were able to capture the Man In Black drug free and in good spirits as he works, relaxes at home and reminisces with old friends. The film blends live performances and scenes of everyday life very well.

Today, Johnny’s overall life and exploits are well known, from his youth in the cotton fields of Dyess, Arkansas to his days at Sun Records, his marriage to June Carter and his reemergence as a musical outlaw legend. Elfstrom’s film covers a bit of Johnny’s past in his own words but is a portrait of the man at that one moment in time and his career when the sky was the limit and the future was as bright as June’s smile. The live At Folsom Prison album was his biggest-selling record and he was riding its wave, one that would see more hit songs and a television show that would run for 58 episodes from 1969-71. But that is in the future and the Johnny of Elfstrom’s film isn’t concerned about that; he’s living well and doing what he loves with the people he loves and that’s what matters.

Johnny seems comfortable with the camera as it follows him from place to place, the tour bus, the stage, and home. We get see him perform at a prison near Christmas time and at a Native American Indian reservation close to the Wounded Knee massacre site. He and June joke and interact with the inmates, composed mostly of young greasy-haired hoods and depression-era men, making them roar with cheer and laughter, and then they tour the Wounded Knee site with a grandson of one of its victims and a tribal elder dressed in traditional ceremonial attire as guides. The viewer is also present as Johnny receives his award for Album of the Year at the Country Music Awards for At Folsom Prison.

Yet the moments that are best are those of Johnny with the folks that he loves best and holds most dear: June, his family, and his friends. Whether its on the tour bus driving to a show and talking youth and cotton picking with rockabilly king Carl Perkins or sitting at home with June picking his guitar and talking about recently written songs and country music, he holds your attention. Johnny has that gift of making people listen when he talks and it’s through those talks that we get glimpse of his life and beliefs and how they shape his music.

Through the camera’s eye we follow Johnny back stage at shows where he talks with fans of all ages and young musicians hoping to make a go at country music. We are there as Johnny and a gum-chewing Bob Dylan record “One Too Many Mornings” as Dylan works on his Nashville Skyline album. We even get to go along as Johnny, June, and his sister Louise visit the Cash family home in Dyess and recall what it was like to live there and how Mom and Daddy (Carrie and Ray) made ends meet.

Throughout the documentary the music of Johnny Cash fills our ears and our heart as he tells the story behind some of his songs (“Big Foot”) and explains the meaning of others (“Great Speckled Bird”) or playing in the background of scenes (“Cisco Clifton’s Filling Station”). Additional songs performed and used in the film include “Ring Of Fire,” “Daddy Sang Bass,” “Land Of Israel,” “Jackson” (with June), “Orange Blossom Special,” “Busted,” “Big River,” “The Long Black Veil,” and of course “Folsom Prison Blues.”

Bob Elfstrom has done a magnificent job in preserving and documenting this moment in time and the life of a legend. In subtle ways we get the story of Johnny’s life in his own words as he saw it. We can see, hear, and understand why the world and his family love him as much as they do. You don’t have to be a die-hard Johnny Cash fan to appreciate what Elfstrom has given us by truly bringing to life Johnny Cash: The Man, His World, His Music. It’s easy to see why P.O.V. would choose this film to air on their series. Check your local listing to catch the point of view of Johnny Cash in 1969.

Glen Campbell: Good Times Again

Written by Fantasma el Rey

Glen Campbell: Good Times Again is seventy-five minutes of key performances from the Glen Campbell Good Time Hour, which ran on CBS from 1969 to 1972. The show spotlighted many top talents of the day and crossed all categories of music to deliver good time music to the masses.

Campbell started as a highly respected session guitarist, playing on many hit songs and for many well-known musicians and vocalists. Various artists sought his skills for their albums, ranging from Frank Sinatra and Merle Haggard to The Righteous Brothers and The Beach Boys. Campbell could play it all and did, showing off his talents every week playing with different people.

Campbell sings and plays his way through a number of his own top tunes as well on this musical trip down his memory lane. We get to hear his “Wichita Lineman,” “Galveston,” “True Grit” and “Gentle On My Mind.” He also sings a song that hits hard for many folks, the wonderful packing up and leaving of “By The Time I Get To Phoenix.” It is a song that has always moved me with its story of a man finally leaving his girlfriend after many attempts. While away on the road, he ponders what her day must be like, getting ready for work, trying to call him at home, and then finally going to bed at night thinking that this may well be the real thing.

The DVD is packed full of music and current commentary by Glen on what he thought about the person he was performing with. Linda Ronstadt, Bobbie Gentry, Anne Murray, and Cher represent the women that Glen could so easily duet with on tunes such as “Carolina In My Mind” (Ronstadt), “Let It Be Me” (Gentry), and two songs by the legendary Bob Dylan, “All I Really Want To Do” (Cher) and “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” (Murray). “Don’t Think Twice” is an awesome example of how Glen, with some help, can turn a song into his own. Campbell’s work with Bobbie Gentry spawned a few albums and from the first line sung it’s easy to hear why. His sweet high pitched pining plays perfectly off of her solid lower range country girl voice.

On the other good foot we have Campbell picking fantastically along side musical icons the likes of Ray Charles, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Rick Nelson. It’s cool to see him get down and perform solid country tunes with Cash (“Folsom Prison Blues”) and Nelson (“Hello Walls”). It is also very nice to see him with Brother Ray on “Cryin’ Time,” another solid country sender. Campbell proves once again that he can cover all bases by playing with the younger Rick Nelson as they jam through “Louisiana Man,” simply great. Rick is one of my all-time favorites and this appearance is during his country-rock years, pushing forward and breaking away from his teen rocker image.

Campbell’s show had a tendency to lean towards the lighthearted side of life, many of his performances on the show where done in comical fashion. Such as him singing as a dump truck of flowers rains down upon him or in some good skits with the Smother Brothers. Some of the tunes have that “AM Gold” feel to them; soft, breezy, light sounds of the day. B.J. Thomas’ “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head” is a good example.

Also on the DVD is an additional 15 minutes of interviews with Campbell giving more of his thoughts on the folks that he had on his show. Telling stories of how these friendships came to be and why they are so important. He has many stories to tell, like how he got the role in True Grit through John Wayne’s daughter’s love for his television show and how time passed and he saw Willie Nelson when his hair was long and he had become the outlaw we know him as today.

Glen Campbell: Good Times Again is a fun look back at a moment in the man’s career when he was on top of the world and on the cutting edge of breaking down musical dividers. Worth the time and viewing for those who may have missed the special when it was aired on PBS sometime in September.

Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard & Ray Price: Last Of The Breed

Written by Fantasma el Rey

Picture, if you will, a lonely honky-tonk on the outskirts of town, a glow from inside draws you near as the sound of clinking beer bottles and laughter calls your name. As you get closer the music from jukebox becomes clearer, three legendary country baritones stand out and shine like the North Star leading you home. You step through the swinging doors, is it honky-tonk heaven? Do you have enough change for said jukebox? Or are you simply dreaming again of records that don’t exist, as I often do? Nope, it’s the sounds of two outlaws and a real survivor. It’s true my fellow followers of great honky-tonk hardwood floor heroes! Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and Ray Price have come together for the first time and the result is Last Of The Breed, a collection of classic tunes made current and standing tall among the mountains of rabble called country music.

These three pillars of classic country music have been kicking this idea around for years but as always things turn up, schedules clash, and side projects are put aside. Finally the stars aligned and the three paths crossed in the spring of 2006. Producer Fred Foster quickly put together a jamming band of pros, including fiddle master Johnny Gimble. After only two days of everything and everyone being in place, the songs that would make it onto this killer collaboration were put down. The big three had it in mind to sing the songs that they all knew and liked, drawing inspiration from such names as Lefty Frizzell, (“Mom And Dad’s Waltz”) Floyd Tillman (“I Love You So Much It Hurts”), and cowboy crooner Gene Autry (“That Silver Haired Daddy Of Mine”); Simple and to the point, it’s how these men operate and why we love them.

Twenty-two tracks over two CDs, and from the get-go these honky-tonk heavyweights hit hard. Opening with Bob Wills’ western swing classic “My Life’s Been A Pleasure,” these gentlemen take turns at the lead vocal chores while the Jordanaires do what they do best, smooth background vocals. This solid sender is the first of many that set the stride and had me up and two steppin’, taking me back to my mother’s kitchen where I learned to dance.

Other classic covers include Harland Howard’s hardwood floor standards “Heartaches By The Number” and “Pick Me Up On Your Way Down.” From Leon Payne they take on the lonesome rambler’s lament “Lost Highway” and the sweethearts’ ballad “I Love You Because.” We are also treated to a number from fellow outlaw Kris Kristofferson, who helps with lead duties and harmony vocals on his ultimate sinner’s question song, “Why Me Lord.”

Tapping from the well of more recent songwriters, we get two from Willie’s pal Cindy Walker: the quiet, tear-in-your-beer “Going Away Party” and the Hymn-inspired “Night Watch.” From Willie himself, we get the beautifully poetic “Back To Earth,” which finds Willie and Merle on a duet reminiscent of their work on Pancho And Lefty. And not to be left out Merle chimes in with the self-penned sinner’s prayer “Sweet Jesus.”

Last Of The Breed finds these three distinct voices in fine form, blending perfectly and as entertaining as ever. Each legend brings his own brand of magic to the microphone delivering flawless performances from the last of the original Honky-Tonk Heroes. The only voice missing is George Jones’. Truly these men are the Last Of The Breed, yet once in a while someone comes along and gives the world hope and lets us know that real men still sing in a timeless style, the way these gentlemen do. George Straight, Alan Jackson, and my personal favorite Dale Watson kept that flame alive and have passed it to the few newcomers brave enough to take it. These willing young artists have the power to keep the hardwood floors packed with people and to keep the sound of clinking beer bottles mixed with loud laughter ringing in our ears. And yes, some where on that floor will be Fantasma el Rey and his honky-tonk angel dancing a two-step. Thanks, Ma.

HighTone Records Anthology: Rockin’ From The Roots

Written by Fantasma el Rey

Founded in 1983 by record industry men Larry Sloven and Bruce Bromberg to put out music that they “thought was good,” HighTone Records was envisioned as a reissue label. Luckily, it has also become home to many new artists, covering all fields of American roots music, from the blues of Robert Cray to the country/folk of Ramblin’ Jack Elliott. Every major artist on the label is heard from once, more if they happen to appear in a duet, a former band, or side project. All 30 songs have a coinciding paragraph in the liner notes that mentions such things as how and why it came to be part of the HighTone library; however, these tracks speak for themselves.

The 15 cuts on disc one contain blues sides and rockabilly/rock ‘n’ roll tunes. Chicago blues can be heard on Otis Rush’s “Three Times A Fool” while Chris Smither represents the Mississippi delta on Can't Shake These Blues. San Francisco’s Joe Louis Walker’s “747” has a solid blues shuffle that keeps you movin’ and groovin’.

L.A.’s The Blasters keep the rockabilly fires burning with their high energy rocker “Marie, Marie” taken from their first album American Music. The Alvin Brothers, Dave (guitar) and Phil (vocals), drive this Downey-based band in a direction that keeps their sound gritty and hardcore rockabilly/blues. Dave Alvin pops up once more with the track “Abilene,” off of his solo album, Blackjack David. On his own Dave travels down a country road lined with traditional sights and frights; this tune about life’s darker moments is carried well by Dave’s calm baritone voice.

The true gem on disc one has to be Dick Dale’s lightning fast, surf-instrumental version of the cowboy spook tale “Ghostriders In The Sky.” This one opens a bit slow but quickly launches you skyward on a roller coaster ride of a remake. Another name from days past brought back into the spotlight by this label is P.F. Sloan, known in the ‘60s for the protest song “Eve Of Destruction” and the cool as ice “Secret Agent Man.” Sloan is represented here by his 2006 release “Soul Of A Women.”

Two more strong voices on this disc are Texas country rocker Joe Ely and Julie Miller. Ely’s high-energy voice, driven and inspired by his love for good ol’ rock ‘n’ roll, pushes 1987’s “Settle For Love” forward. His is the voice that most of the current alt-country kiddies want to be like and fall short of. On the other hand, Julie Miller’s voice is nasally, at times a bit flat, yet sweet. I’m drawn to its honesty. Her “Out in The Rain” is a song with a solid country rhythm section and guitar picking. I do believe that her husband Buddy provides background duties.

Disc two is stacked and packed with country tunes from start to finish. As a gentleman should, I’ll start with the ladies. The Rockabilly Philly, Rosie Flores, clocks in with her jumpy, upbeat “Blue Highway,” a tune that finds her in a more contemporary mood. Guitars still fly and drums still crash around her peppy vocals but with a sound that reflects more Roseanne Cash or Lorrie Morgan. Heather Myles is another vocalist that got lost in the shuffle; her strong vocals shine as the pedal steel guitar whines behind her on the slow, cowboy lament “Rum & Rodeo.”

Keeping western swing alive is Hot Club Of Cowtown’s “You Took Advantage Of Me” featuring Elana Fremerman on lead vocals and giving their sound a ‘40s jazz appeal. Well hell, western swing is known as cowboy jazz after all, so that shouldn’t be too much of a stretch. What Hot Club does do well is blend Django Reinhardt with Bob Wills to create a style all their own.

This disc also has its share of classic artists in the likes of Hank Thompson, Red Volkaert, and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott. Thompson plays his hand on the jump country standard “In The Jail House Now” and sounds in fine shape for a gentleman of 74 years of age. Volkaert chips in with his big voice on Wynn Stewart’s “Big, Big Love.” He is one heck of guitar player and is former lead guitarist for Merle Haggard’s Strangers. His guitar work here is in the vein of Dave Dudley trucker songs. Elliot makes an appearance with his pal and fellow “Friend Of The Devil” Bob Weir, who made his name with some rock outfit that apparently did the original version. I’ll check with Fumo Verde on that rumor.

The singer-songwriter front is where we find many of HighTone’s hidden gems that deserve to be mentioned. Names such as Buddy Miller with his wonderful bluegrass vocals on “Does My Ring Burn Your Finger,” Tom Russell and his Tex-Mex romp “When Sinatra Played Juarez,” or Jimmie Dale Gilmore’s near yodel on his honky-tonk tune titled “That Hardwood Floor.”

Three of my all-time favorite vocalist and songwriters had a place on HighTone at one time in their careers as well. Two found success in the ‘70s and the other is still playing his heart out in honky-tonks and bars across the Southwest and Europe. Johnny Rodriguez was the biggest Chicano star to hit country music in the 1970s. Still not ringing a bell? No surprise, but he’s a bad ass and his cover of “Corpus Christi Bay” finds him in top form about how the bottle can drag you down.

Gary Stewart’s drinking songs have always found a place in Fantasma’s black heart. Why you ask? Because in tunes like “She’s Actin’ Single (I’m Drinkin’ Doubles),” a kid with a broken heart (even black hearts aren’t made of stone) and a jug of Early Times Whiskey has one more friend and a song to sing away his hurt. So here is Stewart again with growl in tow on “Brand New Whiskey” and how it should be named after a woman.

Keeping with the honky-tonk theme lets swing over and visit my pal and all-time favorite real country musician, Alabama-born and Texas-bred Dale Watson. His larger-than-life, deep baritone vocals are the perfect vehicle to convey his songs of life, love, death, and pain. Watson is still turning out excellent music at the rate of about a CD a year. Now that’s a mind and heart with a lot of songs still left to be written.

The HighTone Records Anthology is packed with 30 of the best numbers the label has to offer. Thankfully, they fan the flames and keep the tradition of American roots music alive. Run out and grab some of their stuff, and for those that aren’t afraid to venture outside of their homes, go and support good, live music at your local Honky-Tonk beer joint. Have a good time and a beer; better still, have two beers and keep your eyes open because you never know when a snob is lurking on that hardwood floor.