Some Of My Favorite Country & Bluegrass Songs

[tjmurphy]

Local Greater Cincinnati group, the Tillers

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CY59pea31Xs[/youtube]

[jerryd6818]

T.J. are you still playing with My Favorite Bluegrass Band?

[tjmurphy]

Mornin' Jerry. No, not too much. We havn't played too much in the last two years and I'm giving serious thought to retiring from music. Just ain't much fun anymore. It's tough getting everyone together. Our original mando player ended up in prison and our current mando player moved to Indianapolis. I'm up for cataract surgery on my right eye tomorrow and the left in two weeks. Maybe when I can see better and can get out and about with more confidence I might give it another shot. Who knows??

[jerryd6818]

Our original mando player ended up in prison and our current mando player moved to Indianapolis.

Where you're from, isn't that about the same thing?


You're going to love that cataract surgery. EVERYONE I know who's had it thinks it's the best thing since sliced bread.

[tjmurphy]

You're going to love that cataract surgery. EVERYONE I know who's had it thinks it's the best thing since sliced bread.

That's what I've heard too. I've worn glasses for nearsightedness since the third grade. The doctor said that all should be extra good but that I may need glasses for reading. Don't know what it will be like to go without. I'm anxiously excited about the surgery. Even if I do still need corrective lenses, it's OK. At least I'll be able to see shapes and colors from afar, I hope!! As it is now, everything is looking through a haze. During the day I can't tell what color the traffic lights are until I'm right up on them, at night it's a crap-shoot whether or not I can see the road. It's a BITCH getting old!!!

[jerryd6818]

It's a BITCH getting old!!!

It ain't for wussies.

I too have worn glasses since third grade.

[Mumbleypeg]

Just discovered this thread and been enjoying reading it. Seems most of my favorite artist, for some reason I haven't figured out, are all singer/songwriters having 3 names. In no particular order they are Ray Wylie Hubbard, Jerry Jeff Walker, Townes Van Zandt, Michael Martin Murphy, Robert Earl Keen, and my all time favorite who also happens to be most appropriately named for a cutlery forum, Billy Joe Shaver.

Some of you likely never heard of most of these guys but you know their music, covered by other singers. In most cases I prefer the original versions. My favorite Billy Joe Shaver song is "Live Forever". The intro guitar rif on the original version of the song, played by his son Eddie (now deceased) is some of the best pickin you'll ever hear IMHO. You can see/hear it on the YouTube version of the song from the Farm Aid concert.

He also is the author of my favorite country song line:

"The devil made me do it the first time,
The second time I did it on my own."

from "Black Rose" by Billy Joe Shaver

Ken

[jerryd6818]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLcff55xqek[/youtube]

[carrmillus]

Just discovered this thread and been enjoying reading it. Seems most of my favorite artist, for some reason I haven't figured out, are all singer/songwriters having 3 names. In no particular order they are Ray Wylie Hubbard, Jerry Jeff Walker, Townes Van Zandt, Michael Martin Murphy, Robert Earl Keen, and my all time favorite who also happens to be most appropriately named for a cutlery forum, Billy Joe Shaver.

Some of you likely never heard of most of these guys but you know their music, covered by other singers. In most cases I prefer the original versions. My favorite Billy Joe Shaver song is "Live Forever". The intro guitar rif on the original version of the song, played by his son Eddie (now deceased) is some of the best pickin you'll ever hear IMHO. You can see/hear it on the YouTube version of the song from the Farm Aid concert.

He also is the author of my favorite country song line:

"The devil made me do it the first time,
The second time I did it on my own."

from "Black Rose" by Billy Joe Shaver

Ken

...he's been one of my favorites since I saw him on the Nashville network years ago!!...did you know he appears in the movie "secondhand lions"???............... ..............

[jerryd6818]

I had to look that one up Tommy. Second Hand Lions is one of my favorite movies and I've watched it several times.

Billy Joe Shaver ... Biplane Truck Driver

[carrmillus]

I had to look that one up Tommy. Second Hand Lions is one of my favorite movies and I've watched it several times.

Billy Joe Shaver ... Biplane Truck Driver

...I watched the movie the first time and didn't realize who it was until my oldest son told me later.....

[Cowboy7130]

Howdy y'all

LOVED the "Willy dear" song and video. I am goin to look up The Tillers.

And that is a classic BJS song. Did y'all hear Robert Duvall sing it on the Crazyheart soundtrack? Boy that Robert Duvall is a good actor ...

[tjmurphy]

You're going to love that cataract surgery. EVERYONE I know who's had it thinks it's the best thing since sliced bread.

That's what I've heard too. I've worn glasses for nearsightedness since the third grade. The doctor said that all should be extra good but that I may need glasses for reading. Don't know what it will be like to go without. I'm anxiously excited about the surgery. Even if I do still need corrective lenses, it's OK. At least I'll be able to see shapes and colors from afar, I hope!! As it is now, everything is looking through a haze. During the day I can't tell what color the traffic lights are until I'm right up on them, at night it's a crap-shoot whether or not I can see the road. It's a BITCH getting old!!!

Welp, one down and one to go. In two weeks both eyes will have been corrected. Except for inserting the IV, there was no pain, no sensation at all.....a piece of cake.

[Mumbleypeg]

Billy Joe had a fairly substantial speaking role in the Robert Duvall movie "The Apostle". He and
Duvall are good friends, and Duvall's wife later made a documentary film of Shaver's life.

I met Shaver several years ago in a small club. Turns out we were both there to see a local up and coming singer/songwriter perform. My wife and I had a table near the back, the place was crowded and there was a guy standing leaning against the wall by us. We had an extra chair so invited him to sit down. Although I was a fan of his music, at that time I had never seen Billy Joe. Didn't realize who he was until he got up to leave and I shook his hand. That's when I realized he was missing a couple of fingers on his right hand. The guy performing that night introduced him and Billy Joe joined him on stage and sang a couple of songs. Since then have seen him perform in person several times. I read his autobiography "Honky Tonk Hero" - amazing life story. Most of Shaver's songs are auto-biographical but you don't know it unless you know his life story.

Ken

[Cowboy7130]

Yessir he's one of the most underrated and under-appreciated writers/performers in country/Texas/folk music today.

[carrmillus]

.........I can't believe that on a knife website we're talking about country songs and songwriters and nobody has mentioned the guy who wrote a song about a knife-"the randall knife" by guy clark-also wrote one of my favorite's- "homegrown tomaters"!!!........... .......................

[tjmurphy]

The "Randall Knife Song" is a great tune. First time I ever heard it was in a Wal-Mart parking lot.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KY5MOUO464Q[/youtube]

[jerryd6818]

That's the first time I ever heard of that song and the first time I've heard it. What a great song (or maybe I should call it a poem set to music). Thanks for bringing it up Tommy and thanks for posting it T.J.

[carrmillus]

....wow, t.j., this was recorded much later than the "better days"album version, and I think it is much better!!!!...I've always heard things get better wih age, and this is a great example!!!...... ......................

[carrmillus]

That's the first time I ever heard of that song and the first time I've heard it. What a great song (or maybe I should call it a poem set to music). Thanks for bringing it up Tommy and thanks for posting it T.J.

.....it's even better than his other classic, "homegrown tomater's", jerry!!!!.................. ................

[jerryd6818]

Now that one ("Homegrown Tomaters") I've heard.

[carrmillus]

Now that one ("Homegrown Tomaters") I've heard.

.......it's hard to believe the same "guy" wrote both of those, isn't it???........ ..............

[jerryd6818]

He's talented and versatile.

[Unk]

I had posted the Randall knife song a couple of years ago - I just posted it on the Randall Knife thread in the General Knife Discussion...

http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kni ... rk#p288567

Guy's a national treasure....or at least we'll claim him as a State treasure down here in Texas.

Here's one of my favorites of his - about old men waiting around, passing the time, waiting to die.

...Brown tobacco stains all down his chin......I knew a few old men (and a few old women) that spring into my mind when I hear this song....

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFb1lGMvS3I[/youtube]

[Unk]

So here's one......you might not like the song, but you damn sure have to like the video...

Wonder what the chairman of the board thought about this - lol.

My kids get a kick out of this one....

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnQcExGaEvk[/youtube]