TERRELL'S TUNE-UP: SWOONING FOR LORETTA!

As published in The Santa Fe New Mexican, May 21, 2004

I can see why some country purists might get upset about Van Lear Rose, the new album by Loretta Lynn. Produced by Jack White White of The White Stripes, many of the songs here rock seriously. Some of the tracks have about 10 times the drum sound as any previous Loretta effort. And White’s slide guitar sure can scream.

So if you’re a purist who doesn’t like to see those lines crossed, by all means stick with Loretta’s ‘60s-’70s classics. (In fact, if you’re a newcomer who came to Loretta through The White Stripes, immerse yourself in some classic Loretta as quickly as possible. You won’t be sorry.)

But as a long-time Loretta fan, I give my heartiest squeal of approval for Van Lear Rose. The lady sounds inspired here. And if, at the age of 68 or 70 or whatever she is, she wants to rock out with a bunch of young punks, more power to her.

After all, she made her name in the early days by challenging Nashville orthodoxy. She was the first female country singer who actually wrote most of her own songs. In an era when the C&W industry was looking for mainstream respectability she unabashedly kept things real with her songs about domestic discord, drinking and real-life heartache.

Not to mention the fact that her songs like “Pregnant Again” and -- especially -- “The Pill” were always getting banned on country radio back then for their “controversial” subject matter.

Besides, in the liner notes, Loretta compares Jack White to her old producer, Nashville icon Owen Bradley.

Trust her. She’s Loretta Lynn.

The singer wrote or co-wrote all the songs on the album. And there’s some fine ones.

“Family Tree,” featuring some sad fiddle by hotshot stringman Dirk Powell, is a confrontation with “the other woman,” a tried and true Loretta theme we’ve heard before in songs like “Fist City” and “You Ain’t Woman Enough to Take My Man.” My favorite line in the new song: “No I didn’t come to fight/ If he was a better man I might/But I wouldn’t dirty my hands/ On trash like you …”

Likewise on “Mrs. Leroy Brown” she indulges in a revenge fantasy against bad, bad Leroy and the “big old blonde who thinks she’s a movie star” threatening to “grab her by her pony tail and sling her around and around.”

A variation on that theme is found on “Women’s Prison,” in which the narrator gets the death penalty for plugging an errant husband.

The most moving song on the album is “Miss Being Mrs.,” in which Loretta, who lost her husband of 48 years in 1996, sings frankly about the loneliness of widowhood.

The most surreal track here is “Little Red Shoes,” a spoken -word piece in which Loretta tells the story of her mother shoplifting her first pair of shoes for her over a dreamy instrumental track. Has anyone coined the genre name “Honky tonk/trip hop” yet?


The last song, “The Story of My Life,” is just that, a humorous overview of her well-known biography (slyly working in some of titles of her hits). The verse about the Coal Miner’s Daughter movie ends with , “What I wanna know is what happened to the cash.” But it’s hardly a bitter tune. “I have to say that I’ve been blessed/ Not bad for this ol’ Kentucky girl I guess.”

Not bad, indeed, Loretta.

Also recommended:

The Graceful Ghost by Grey DeLisle. This has to be one of the prettiest country albums -- actually one of the prettiest CDs of any genre -- I’ve heard in a long time.

DeLisle’s voice invites comparisons to Dolly Parton’s, both in timbre and emotional punch. And like Dolly, DeLisle is a smart songwriter and fascinating storyteller. She wrote all the tunes here except for her cover of an obscure Kitty Wells song, "This White Circle on My Finger."

The music here, provided by a small acoustic group including her husband Murry Hammond (the bass player for The Old 97s, who plays guitar and sings on this album) wisely keeps the emphasis on the singer’s voice.

There’s a Civil War feel to much of the album. Some songs sound like antebellum parlor songs. "Tell Me True," a simple love song done as a duet with her husband includes a spoken part -- done on antiquated recording equipment -- in which DeLisle reads from a Civil War love letter.

DeLisle has said in interviews that The Graceful Ghost represents her long distance courtship with Hammond. That’s sweet, but I hope it’s not literally true. There are some beautiful love songs here, but there’s plenty of tunes that, following the folk-ballad tradition, are downright tragic.

Such is the case of "Poor Katy Allen," which is about a woman lost in a shipwreck and “Black Haired Boy” -- another heart-tugging Hammond duet and another shipwreck song.

But most tragic of all is "The Maple Tree," a war ballad (I think this one’s World War II) in which a case of mistaken identity leads to horrible consequences.

If she keeps putting out records like this, I hope Grey is around as long as Loretta.

Hey Loretta! Tune in The Santa Fe Opry Friday night on KSFR, 90.7 FM, for a musical salute to the Coal Miner’s Daughter -- Loretta old and new, Loretta with Conway, Loretta with Ernest Tubb, Loretta covers and more. Show starts at 10 p.m. (and I’ll play some Grey DeLisle in there somewhere) while the Loretta segment starts right after 11 p.m.

ROUNDHOUSE ROUND-UP: DROPPING OUT BEFORE HE'S IN?

As published in The Santa Fe New Mexican

The line of people running for the state Senate seat in Santa Fe’s District 25 — held for nearly 20 years by Democrat Roman Maes — might be getting shorter.

Robb Hirsch, who has been gathering petition signatures and raising money to get on the ballot as an independent candidate, said Wednesday he’ll drop out — on one condition:

If Democrats vote down Maes in favor of challenger John Grubesic.

“I am not seeking office for personal glory and so I don’t care which of us dedicated reformers running in this race wins as long as one of us does!,” Hirsch wrote in an e-mail to people who have signed his petitions.

“As an Independent I’m not in the primary June 1st, so I strongly encourage the many hundreds of you Democrats who signed my petition to get out and vote for John Grubesic in the primary. He is genuinely committed to change for a brighter future, as shown by his strong stance on environmental protection and water conservation which won him endorsement by the Sierra Club.”

Other candidates in the District 25 Democratic primary are Letitia Montoya and Geraldine Salazar. There are two Green candidates, Rick Lass and Joseph Niesley, who also are facing off in the June 1 primary. Waiting in the wings is Republican Bob Mallin, who is unopposed in his primary.

But it’s too early to write Hirsch’s political obituary.

In his e-mail, he wrote, “... if the incumbent with all his tens of thousands of dollars of special interest money wins the primary, I assure you not only will I be in the race but I will be running strong as a clear alternative to business as usual.”
Maes has reported raising nearly $60,000 for his campaign. That’s more than all his challengers put together.

Hirsch, an education consultant who also is involved in a wind-energy business, says he has obtained 1,250 petition signatures, which is almost three times the number he would need to get on the November ballot.

Building a platform: The John Kerry campaign announced Wednesday that the people writing the Democratic Party’s 2004 platform soon will be holding hearings in several cities, including Santa Fe.

On June 18, national Democrats will meet in Santa Fe. “Healthcare providers, seniors, environmentalists, civil rights workers, and others will testify about how to protect our citizens and the environment,” the a written statement from the campaign said.

The next day the Platform Drafting Committee will meet here to start writing the actual document, which, if past history is any indication, will produce a few skirmishes at the national convention only to be completely forgotten shortly thereafter.

The 411 on a 527: One of the biggest anti-Bush “527” groups in the country has come to New Mexico. America Coming Together, not to be confused with Gov. Bill Richardson’s Moving America Forward (where do they come up with these names?), has set up shop in Albuquerque with a staff of nine (so far) and a budget of $3 million.

Unless you’re a complete political junky, you might not know that 527s — named after the section of the U.S. tax code the groups fall under — are advocacy groups not formally associated with political parties.

527s have risen in prominence since the new federal campaign-reform law went into effect.

Democrats have been the main beneficiaries of the 527s.

Republicans tried to convince the Federal Election Commission to stop letting groups use unregulated money to buy campaign ads and conduct get-out-the-vote activities. However the FEC recently decided to take no action this year.

America Coming Together CEO Steve Rosenthal, a former political director for the AFL/CIO, was in New Mexico Wednesday. He said we’re one of 15 battleground states in which ACT is active. “Hopefully it’ll be 17 soon,” he said.

The group’s main activity here will be registering new voters and door-to-door canvassing, he said. Later ACT will conduct an absentee ballot drive and then an effort to get voters to the polls.

“Our three missions are bringing new voters into the political process, electing progressive candidates and defeating George W. Bush,” he said.

But he said for legal reasons there is a strict “wall” between his group and the Democratic Party. “We don’t communicate with the Kerry campaign either,” he said.

Crossing STYX

I went to a concert in Albuquerque last night that I normally wouldn't have -- STYX and Peter Frampton.

You read it right. STYX and Peter Frampton.

I was never a big Frampton fan, but I had a college roomate, Joe Sedowski, who always played Frampton Comes Alive. And as far as STYX goes ... I've always been more of a Journey man ... (Not really. I always hated this whole prog/clog lite hair metal stuff)

I'm sure you're wondering why I'd go to such a show when I'd never buy CDs by these guys and would never play them on my radio shows.

The answer of course is the one I probably could use for half the stupid things I've done in my life.

A pretty girl asked me to.

But at great risk to my hipster cred, I enjoyed the hell out of the show. Frampton just seemed to be having a great time playing his songs. And he sounded good too.

As for STYX, well they were ultra cheesy -- entering the stage all
five in a row behind the drumer riser, their hair all blowing in the wind as the smoke machine is blowing and the light shines orange on them to swirling synth music. Straight out of Spinal Tap.

But they broke like the wind, and I have to admit they were good bitchen fun. They're all good showmen and the band was tight.

And even though I'm not real familiar with their music and don't know the names of most their songs, I was surprised how many tunes and riffs I recognized. Some of that stuff must have sunk in subliminally through the years. Since I never knew that much about the band, it didn't bother me that many of their original members are long gone.

Their climatic version of "Come Sail Away" had it all -- disco ball, confetti. Almost good enogh to make me forget the Southpark version. I loved it!

My only complaint is that they only played a brief section from "Mr. Roboto" as part of a medley.

As a self-confessed music snobs, my advice to others is let's not be so smug all the time. Sometimes you just gotta come sail away!

I hear Kansas is coming to one of the casinos around here ...

TERRELL'S SOUND WORLD PLAY LIST

Sunday, May 16,2004
KSFR, Santa Fe, N.M.
Host: Steve Terrell

OPENING THEME: Let it Out (Let it All Hang Out) by The Hombres
Hold Me Now by The Polyphonic Spree
Holiday in Berlin, Full Blown by The Mothers of Invention
My Blakean Year by Patti Smith
Skull Ring by Iggy Pop & The Stooges
Crap Rap 2-Like to Blow by The Fall
Hunt Again by Mission of Burma
No Confidence by Simon Stokes

Monster by Steppenwolf
Debonair by Afghan Whigs
Prince of Darkness by The Mekons
The Devil's Music by The Three Johns
Knock it Right Out by Grandpaboy
Evil Star by Cellophane Typewriters
Fascist Girl by Ukelele Man

Plastic Spoon by Otis Taylor
Goin' Through the Woods by Charles Caldwell
Black Magic Woman by Charlie Musselwhite
Bed Spring Poker by The Mississippi Sheiks
The Darktown Flappers Ball by Mamie Smith
Mother Earth by Memphis SLim
Please Send Me Someone to Love by Percy Mayfield
B.D. Woman's Blues by Lucille Bogan
The Coldest Stuff in Town by Whistling Bob Howe & Frankie Griggs

Wreck of the Carlos Rey by Los Lobos with Richard Thompson
Keep Your Distance by Richard Thompson
Not Meant to Be by Bone Pilgrim
Silver Springs by Fleetwood Mac
Say We'll Meet Again by Lindsey Buckingham
CLOSING THEME: Over the Rainbow by Jerry Lee Lewis

Advice For the Lovelorn

Probably not many of you come to this blog seeking advice on matters of the heart.

But if that's what you're after, CLICK HERE for Dear Dr. Desdemona - Advice for the Hopelessly Dysfunctional.

This brand new advice blog is the creation of the lovely Desdemona Finch, a singer and songwriter based in New York. (She also was part of our entourage at South by Southwest last March.)

Now that Desdemona is doing this, I can finally stop calling Dr. Laura.

The Santa Fe Opry Play List

The Santa Fe Opry
Friday, May 14, 2004
KSFR, Santa Fe, NM
Host: Steve Terrell


OPENING THEME: Buckaroo by Buck Owens & The Buckaroos
Meat Man by Jerry Lewis
Why Don't You Love Me Like You Used to Do by Elvis Costello
The Future Mrs. Dave by Uncle Dave & The Waco Brothers
Enemy by Dollar Store
Over the Cliff by Jon Langford
Your Rockin' Chair by Stan Ridgway
Hole in the Head by Eric Ambel
Will You Let Me Stay With You by Chipper Thompson
Between Lust and Watching TV by Cal Smith

The Jewel of Abilene by Grey DeLisle
Women's Prison by Loretta Lynn
Moonshiner's Child by Tammy Faye Starlite
Brand New Heartache by Chris Hillman & Herb Pedersen
Old Five and Dimers (Like Me) by Waylon Jennings
Wasted Days and Wasted Nights by Rex Hobart & The Misery Boys
Before the Next Teardrop Falls by Freddy Fender
Please Save a Little For Me by Cornell Hurd
I Wish I Had Never Met Sunshine by Jimmie Davis

Tornado Alley by Graham Parker
I Remember You by Jim Stringer with Susana Van Tassel
Smoke Rings by Jon Rauhouse with Kelly Hogan
Castanets by Alejandro Escovedo
Red Red Robin by Rosie Flores
I Can't Go On That Way by Johnny Cash
You Just May Be The One by The Monkees
Hoboin' by Blonde Boy Grunt & The Groans
Funky Butt by Devil in the Woodpile

Got My Wings Back by Rolf Cahn
Pretend I Never Happened by Willie Nelson
Horizon by Marlee MacLeod
Dark and Stormy Weather by Norman & Nancy Blake
That's The Way Love Goes by Merle Haggard
A Whorehouse is Any House by Bonnie Prince Billy
The Man in the Bed by Dave Alvin
Old Man by Tom House
CLOSING THEME: Comin' Down by The Meat Puppets

Steve Terrell is proud to report to the monthly Freeform American Roots Radio list

TERRELL'S TUNE-UP: OTIS' BLUES

As published in The Santa Fe New Mexican, May 14, 2004

Double V is something of a departure for Colorado blues monster Otis Taylor. It’s his first album in years without producer/bassist (and Santa Fe resident) Kenny Passarelli and guitarist Eddie Turner.


Here Otis handles guitar duties himself as well as banjo, mandolin and harmonica, while his teenage daughter Cassie Taylor plays bass. (She sings lead on one track, “Buy Myself Some Freedom.”)

And on some songs, he uses cellos.

I can already hear the purists moan. Muddy Waters never used no stinkin’ cello! Not to worry. Taylor’s not getting pompous and prissy here. Some have compared these cuts with the music of John Cale. I think Van Morrison is a more apt reference point. No, he’s not trying to recreate Astral Weeks or Veedon Fleece. But Taylor is bringing new textures to the blues.

He employs African-pop “happy guitar” on some songs like “Please Come Home Before It Rains” and “Sounds of Attica.” He goes country blues on others, such as the nightmarish “It’s Done Happened Again.” And for a couple of tunes, Otis stands alone: it’s just him and his harmonica on “Took Their Land” and just his moaning voice on “Hurry Home.”

One thing that hasn’t changed is Taylor’s talent for painting harrowing, politically charged and intensely emotional pictures with his lyrics. These are “pictures from life’s other side” as Hank Williams would say. There’s the autobiographical “Mama’s Selling Heroin”; “Plastic Spoon,” a story of old people having to eat dog food in order to afford their medicine; and a lament for the injustices against Native Americans on “Took Their Land.”

I hope the absence of Passarelli and Turner is temporary. They’re missed here. Still, Double V is a strong album. I still believe Otis Taylor is the most relevant bluesman working today.

Also Recommended:

*Remember Me by Charles Caldwell. This is the kind of album that the Fat Possum label became famous for. Raw, stripped-down blues - a rasty old coot from Mississippi with a loud electric guitar, sometimes backed by an eager drummer. If you like R.L. Burnside, T-Model Ford and Paul “Wine” Jones, chances are you’ll like Charles Caldwell.

Caldwell was “discovered” by Fat Possum overlord Matthew Johnson in May 2002. Johnson recorded the tracks for this album. But last September Caldwell died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 60. He never saw his first CD.

A sad story, true. But the music is a wild joy.

More recommendations:
The Columbia Legacy Roots ’n’ Blues Series. Columbia recently has reached into its vaults for a whole mess of blues and blues-related material from the ’20s and ’30s. Here’s some recently released CDs:

*Honey Babe Let The Deal Go Down: The Best of The Mississippi Sheiks.This is a 20-song collection by one of the most influential string bands of the 1930s.

With a basic arrangement of fiddle, guitar and vocals, the revolving Sheik roster included singer Walter Vinson and various members of the Chatmon (sometimes spelled Chatman) family - Lonnie, Sam and sometimes Bo. They also backed bluesman Texas Alexander (a few of those tracks are included here). And though they don’t appear on this compilation, famous bluesmen like Charlie Patton and Memphis Slim (both reportedly Chatmon relatives) passed through the live version of the Mississippi Sheiks.

If nothing else, the Sheiks should be honored for “Sitting on Top of the World,” which has been covered by everyone from Sinatra to the Grateful Dead, Howlin’ Wolf to Harry Belafonte.

Then there are Sheik songs the mainstream never would touch.

Bo Chatmon also had a solo career under the name “Bo Carter” that produced such risqué blues hits as “Please Warm My Weiner” and “Banana In Your Fruit Basket.” Those aren’t included here, but the other Sheiks weren’t above some good, clean double-entendre action, as evidenced in Lonnie’s “Bed Spring Poker” and Vinson’s “Ramrod Blues.”

*Crazy Blues: The Best of Mamie Smith. Before Bessie Smith was “queen of the blues,” that title belonged to another (unrelated) Smith - Mamie.

Mamie’s 1920 signature tune, “Crazy Blues,” is considered the pioneer classic blues number. It was the first million-selling blues song. With her flamboyant stage costumes, this former vaudevillian created the mold for the great female blues stars for years to come.

But despite their common surname and their sequins, Mamie and Bessie were very different performers. Mamie’s voice was as clear as Bessie’s was rough.

Some argue her sound wasn’t technically blues at all. Her band on “Crazy Blues” was the Jazz Hounds, and, like all her subsequent bands, it was a horn-heavy group. (Look, Ma, no guitars!)

Call it what you want. The lady had soul.

*Shave ’Em Dry: The Best of Lucille Bogan. Bessie Smith may have been rougher and tougher than Mamie Smith. But some of the songs on this compilation make Bessie look like Debby Boone.

Lucille Bogan, who was raised in Birmingham, Ala., recorded during the mid-’30s. She never got as famous as Bessie or Mamie, but some of her songs have made her infamous among blues collectors for years.

Accompanied solely by Walter Roland’s piano on most tracks, Bogan sings songs that just radiate sex - sex with men and sex with women. “B.D. Blues” - hint, the B stands for bull - is one of the first songs in recording history to openly celebrate lesbianism.

She sings of sex for sale, sex for free, sex until the cows come home, sex as barbecue, sex as stew meat, wild sex, rough sex, crazy sex and, above all, funny sex. Bogan’s world sounds like a dirty joke that you never want to end.

Of course, Bogan’s raunchiest tunes - the title cut and “Till the Cows Come Home” - weren’t commercially released until years after Bogan’s death. According to the liner notes, only a few copies were made for friends. Luckily, at least one copy of these survived.