R.I.P. VINCENT CRAIG

Navajo songwriter/cartoonist/humorist Vincent Craig died last week at the age of 59.

The New Mexican's substitute editorial writer Inez Russell did a wonderful eulogy today.

New Mexico's urban and reservation Indians have long known about the legendary entertainer. Fans of the popular Sunday-afternoon KUNM-FM radio show, Singing Wire, know Craig through his humorous telling of the story of Rita and the candy bar, a twisting tale that shows how love can lead a poor boy astray. For Rita, the hero steals the crazy candy bar and ends up, without her, sitting in the Window Rock jail. It's just one of Craig's many songs, but for whatever reason, "Rita" crossed cultures and audiences to find fans.

Read the whole piece HERE.

I wrote about Vincent in a review of various music events at Indian Market for No Depression back in 1997.

The most poignant and emotional musical moment of the weekend was from Vincent Craig on the Plaza Saturday afternoon. When introducing his song “A Viet Nam Tribute”, he started talking about his brother, who fought in that war. His voice became so shaky, and he was fighting back tears so hard, it seemed for a moment he would not be able to sing it. But he did, and quite powerfully.

(The entire review can be found HERE)

Here's a couple of Vincent performances on Youtube. The first one is a long, humorous monologue. The other is one of his sad songs. (Unfortunately, I couldn't find "Rita.")


Rest in peace Vincent. Hope there's lots of Big Hunk candy bars in Heaven.

UPDATE: The name of the writer of the editorial has been corrected

TERRELL'S SOUND WORLD PLAYLIST

Sunday, May 16, 2010
KSFR, Santa Fe, N.M.
10 p.m. to midnight Sundays Mountain Time
Host: Steve Terrell
Webcasting!
101.1 FM
email me during the show! terrell@ksfr.org

OPENING THEME: Let it Out (Let it All Hang Out) by The Hombres
I Need Somebody by Question Mark & The Mysterians
Baby Please Don't Go by The Amboy Dukes
Search and Destroy by Iggy & The Stooges
Howling Wolf Blues by Johnny Dowd
The Future is Now (and It Stinks) by J.J. & The Real Jerks
Monkey Mess by Thee Vicars
Stinkin' From Drinkin' by Calvin Boze & His All-Stars

Granny Tops 'Em At the Hop by The A-Bones
Winter Funeral by Manby's Head
How Can I Make Her Mine by The Lyres
Night of The Phantom by Larry & The Blue Notes
Black-Hearted Woman by The Standells
Rita by Thee Michelle Gun Elephant
Surfin' Dead by The Cramps
I'm Talking About You by The Remains
King Kong by Barrence Whitfield & the Savages
(We Want a) Rock 'n' Roll President by The Treniers

Just a Boy by The Butthole Surfers
Cowboy George by The Fall
Highball With the Devil by Les Claypool & Holy Mackeral
Blue's Theme by Batusis
Elle est Party by The Giant Robots
No Great Shakes by Hipbone Slim & The Knee Trembers
America by Andre Williams

Matador by Pinata Protest
Undercover Medley by Brave Combo
Big Legs by Gene Phillips & His Rhythm Aces
She'll Be Mine by King Shark
Bleeding Heart by Jimi Hendrix
Soul Man in the Underworld by Jon E. Edwards
Modest Proposal by Mose Allison
CLOSING THEME: Over the Rainbow by Jerry Lee Lewis

THE SANTA FE OPRY PLAYLIST

Friday, May 14, 2010
KSFR, Santa Fe, NM
Webcasting!
10 p.m. to midnight Fridays Mountain Time
Host: Steve Terrell
101.1 FM
email me during the show! terrell@ksfr.org

OPENING THEME: Buckaroo by Buck Owens & The Buckaroos
Red Red Robin by Rosie Flores
Down in the Bayou by The Watzloves
Greasy Creek by Tha Legendary Shack Shakers
I Didn't Mean to Be Mean by Ray Campi
I Don't Work That Cheap by Bill Kirchen with Commander Cody
Rock-A-Billy Fever by Wanda Jackson
Black Road by Flathead
Red Rose by The Blasters
In a Holler Over There by The Rev. Peyton's Big Damn Band
Clap Your Hands Billy Kaundart

Love of the Common People by Waylon Jennings (for Bob Barth)
Drinking Champagne by Willie Nelson
I Tremble For You by Waylon Jennings
Pretty When It's New by Merle Haggard
Jason Fleming by Roger Miller
The Selfishness in Man by George Jones
I Overlooked An Orchid Carl Smith
Forbidden Love by Mel Street
The Wheels Fell Off The Wagon Johnny Paycheck
The Taker by Kris Kristofferson

Orange Clown Train by Clothesline Revival with Charlie Musselwhite
Freeborn Man by Junior Brown
Back in Hell by Delaney Davidson
Teenage Kicks by The Dead Brothers
The Rounder by Dan Hicks & The Hot Licks
Jesus on the Mainline by Ry Cooder
Beedle Um Bum by Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions

Anchor by Alejandro Escovedo
My Love Lives in South Austin by Cornell Hurd
Nashville Blues by The Louvin Brothers
That Yodelin' Gal, Miss Julie by The Delmore Brothers
Jeannie's Afraid of the Dark by Robbie Fulks
Flower of My Heart by Sparkle Moore
Real Life by Susan Cowsill
Two Wings by The Rev. Utah Smith
CLOSING THEME: Comin' Down by The Meat Puppets

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

MARIACHI SUPERSTARS

Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, who Santa Fe Fiesta Council President Herman Lovato calls Mexico's premier mariachi group, will be headlining the 298th Fiesta de Santa Fe Mariachi Extravaganza at 7:30 pm, Wednesday, Sept. 8 at The Santa Fe Opera.

These guys have been around since 1897. No, that's not a typo! 1897!

From their Wikipedia site:

The Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan was born in a small city called Tecalitlan, to the south of Jalisco. Founded in l897 by Don Gaspar Vargas the formation during those years was provided by the guitarra de golpe (or mariachera) played precisely by Don Gaspar, the wooden harp by Manuel Mendoza, and two violins played by Lino Quintero and Refugio Hernandez. The combination of these instruments established the "Sonido Tecalitlan" which distinguished from the "Sonido Cocula". (The Mariachi from Cocula utilized the guitarron and the vihuela in place of the harp and the guitarra de golpe aside from the two violins). In 1913, Don Gaspar introduced one trumpet to the group but it was not well accepted and, in later performances, its high-pitched sound was considered annoying. The cornet was replaced by another violin. The group consisted then of five elements. The son of Don Gaspar Vargas, Silvestre Vargas, joined as a violinist in 1921.

In more recent times. this is the group Linda Rondstadt used on her Canciones de mi Padre album in 1986.

No Radio Shows For Me This Weekend

But thanks to Tom Adler and D.J. Phi for subbing for The Santa Fe Opry and Terrell's Sound World while I'm on vacation.

I'm in the Live Music Capitol of the World and I have seen a couple of shows.

There was Brave Combo at Threadgill's Friday

Then last night we saw a bunch of bands at Mohawk. Here's the grand finale by a group called The Midget Men, joined by a bunch of friends for the greatest version of "We Are the World" I've ever heard.





Back to Santa Fe tomorrow.