Music Deaths: Tom Stevens of the Long Ryders

TOM STEVENS, 64

Died  24 January 2021

Bass player with the Long Ryders.

Classified as an alternative country, Paisley Underground band.  I's also put them as Americana.  Performed principally between 1982 and 1987.

Their sound is described as being reminiscent of the Rubber Soul Beatles, electric Bob Dylan, Buffalo Springfield and the Flying Burrito Brothers, only with a harder edge.

I must admit, I'd never heard of them, but have now been listening to them a lot recently on You Tube.

Give them a listen.

Music Deaths: David Olney Songwriter for Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris

DAVID OLNEY, 71

Died January 18, 2020

Americana singer.  Wrote songs recorded by Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris.  Recorded over 20 albums over his five-decade career.  His songs have been covered by many artists including the above two and Steve Earle.  He died on stage while in the middle of a song.

Listening to him right now on You Tube.  Quite a talent.  I wish I'd known of him before he died.

I saw  one comment on one of his songs which called him "The Father of Americana Music.'

JSS: "Bad Moon Rising"-- Brave Combo-- Polka and Zydeco

JSS--  Just Some Stuff

1.  "BAD MOON RISING"--  Sitting here a-typin' away with my two little fingers and WXRT, 93.1 FM in Chicago is playing "Bad Moon Rising" at 8:04 a.m..  I reached for my flip-phone, thinking perhaps I had a call as it is my ringtone.  But, the phone was upstairs.  I usually don't have it with me.

Of course, Creedence Clearwater Revival is my favorite group from the late 60s early 70s.

2.  BRAVE COMBO--  I was reading an article about FitzGerald's in Berwyn, Illinois, being for sale after being open for almost 40 years.  It is the home of Americana Music and, sad to say, since it is so far away, I've never been there.

But, they mentioned one band that plays there regularly, Brave Combo, and described them as a polka-rock band.  With that description, I just had to give that description I just had to give them a listen.

As soon as I got downstairs to the ole 'pute, I went to Good Ol' You Tube and am listening to them right now.  Great band!!  Reminds me a lot of The Happy Schnapps Combo and the DeKalb Footstompers.  Happy Schnapps Combo had a big hit called "No, I Don't Wanna DoDat" on Dr. Demento.  Their music is described as "Polka On Acid."  Check 'em out on You Tube.

3.  POLKA AND ZYDECO  --  Let's face it, Polka is real fun music.  You ever watch people when a polka song comes on?  Lots of smiling faces and then there is the movement, whether their dancing or not.  Same with zydeco music.  When we used to go to Summerfest in Milwaukee, you could always tell where the zydeco bands were as that is where you'd see everyone smiling and moving.

Serbian Heat As Brave Combo Calls Their Music.   --RoadCombo

Roothog Radio: Americana and Bluegrass-- Part 1

From the Roothog Radio site. //// Here is another internet radio site I have been listening to of recent. This one is out of Dallas, Texas, but evidently there is no live deejay. But they sure do play a lot of music that I am unfamiliar with. //// Here is a list of what I have been listening to this morning: BALES OF COCAINE-- Reverend Horton Heat // PROUD MARY-- CCR // CRY CRY CRY-- Johnny Cash // HONEY (OPEN THE DOOR)-- Ricky Skaggs // ALBERTA SAYS HELLO-- Corb Lund Band //// PILLS I TOOK-- Hank Williams III // SAN ANTONIO ROSE-- Pine Valley Cosmonauts // WRECKED-- Turnpike Troubadours // I FEEL ALRIGHT-- Steve Earl // CRAZY-- Patsy Cline // CLAY PIGEONS-- Blaze Foley //// FISHING IN THE DARK-- Nitty Gritty Dirt Band // LIL' LIZA JANE-- Bob Wills // ANY DAY OF THE WEEK-- Mountain Sprout // SHOULD HAVE SEEN IT COMING-- Split Lip Rayfield //// Some I've Heard, But A Whole Lot of Music I've Never Heard Before. I Like That. --RoadDog

It's An Americana Music Thing

From the Feb. 27, 2012, Chart Watch by Paul Green Week ending Feb. 24th.

I have become a big fan of this music, although, I have been a fan of many of the groups associated with it for a long time like John Hiatt, the Mavericks and John Prine.  Bit, I have just recently become aware of the brand Americana.

Three new groups considered Americana, which refers to the music industry for  rootsy, guitar-based music.

Three of Billboard's Top 6 albums are by groups classified Americana.

Babel--  Mumford & Sons #1

The Lumineers #5

"Boys and Girls--  Alabama Shakes #6.

Right now I'm listening to a NPR station out of Clinton, Tennessee playing Americana music by Sweet Georgia Brown.

I'm hoping that if Cashbox comes back, they will continue their Americana Top 30 songs which gave the opportunity to listen to the new Americana music.

Americana, That's Where It's At.  --RoadDog

What Is Americana Music?

It is music that kind of defies classification, but nonetheless, really good stuff.  Unfortunately, it is not very popular compared to hip-hop and rap and the sort.  I accidentally came across a radio station in Central Illinois on my travels called the Whip, WHHP in Farmersburg (?), and they play the stuff.  98.3 I believe.

Anyway, Cashbox Magazine has a bunch of countdowns that you can listen to, and one of them is the Americana Top Twenty (wish it was Top 40 and also that it would be hosted and not just played.

The most recent has some songs that I really liked:

ALL FALL DOWN--  Shawn Colvin
O SUSANNA--  Neil Young and Crazy Horse
HO HEY--  The Luminers
THE BOXER--  Jerry Douglas and Mumford & Sons
SING UP TO THE MOON--  Leftover Salmon (You've just got to love a group with that name.)

NORTH SIDE GAL--  J.D. McPherson
WHAT THE HELL IS GOIN' ON--  Paul Thom
ROLL ME UP--  Willie Nelson
ROOSTER RAG--  Little Feat

HAIL HAIL--  Shovels & Rope (Another different sort of name.)
LEVI--  Old Crow Medicine Show

Oh Yes, and Bob Stroud is going back to 1969 on his Ten at Ten show this morning (repeated at 10 PM tonight).  www.wdrv.com .  That would be 10 AM CDST.  Worth a listen.  Ten straight songs, no commercials, but little tidbits that take you back every two songs.

I'll Be Listening.  --RoadDog

Americana Music Countdown November 1st-- Part 2

I've been enjoying listening to the chart several times now. This is the great music you don't get to hear. An asterisk means I especially liked it.

15. *RUN CONEJO RUN-- Dave Alvin
14. *MAKE IT OUT WEST-- Greencards
13. *WHAT A LITTLE BIT OF LOVE CAN DO-- Jeff Bridges
12. *LEARN HOW TO LOVE-- Tedeschi Trucks Band
11. *LITTLE BIRD-- Kasey Chambers

10. *TWO SPARROWS-- Gourds
9. *STUFF THAT WORKS-- Guy Clark
8. *YOU'RE GONNA MISS ME-- Ollabelle
7. WORKING MAN'S PRAYER-- Larry C. Johnson
6. *YOU CAN BET I'M GONE-- Joe Ely

5. *NO BANKER LEFT BEHIND-- Ry Cooder
4. SCARLET TOWN-- Gillian Welch
3. *DAMN THIS TOWN-- John Hiatt
2. *SHE WALKS IN SO MANY WAYS-- Jayhawks
1. *I GOTTA GO-- Robert Earl Keen

Good Stuff, Maynard. Give It a Listen. --RoadDig


PARAPROSDOKIAN SENTENCE: You're never too old to learn something stupid.

Americana Music Countdown Week of November 1st-- Part 1

You can see the list at Cashbox Magazine and listen to it at the same place if you're tired of the same old, same old over the air. This is the kind of music you don't often get a chance to hear. Kind of a sun genre if you will.

I have heard a station out of central Illinois, the WHIP, playing the music during my travels and liked it. I am really getting into the music now.

Unfortunately, the countdown stream does not have a deejaying announcing and giving information. Asterisks mean songs that I particularly liked.

30. *SWEET NOTHINGS-- Girls Guns and Glory
29. *NO SIMPLE MACHINE-- Old 97s
28. YOUR HUSBAND'S CHEATING ON US-- Matraca Berg
27. HORSESHOE LOUNGE-- Slaid Cleves
26. TIME CHANGES EVERYTHING-- Jimmy Dale Gilmore & the Wronglers

25. FROM ROSA'S BARN TO THE CROSS-- Joe Price
24. MY MOTHER PRAYED-- Dobbie & Krista Poyner
23. *TIME SPENT IN LOS ANGELES-- Dawes
22. *HELL ON HEELS-- Pistol Annies
21. *MINGO COUNTRY W.VA-- Judy Haney Goode
20. *MOVIN' ON-- Fraser Newcombe

19. TREASURES IN THE ATTIC-- Johnny Ellis
18. *TIGER & THE MONKEY-- Jim Lauderdale
17. *BALLAD OF ROSALIE-- Cody Canada & the Departed
16. I REMEMBER YOU-- Eilen Jewell

You can see the list at hrrp://cashboxmagazine.com/Countdowns/Americana.html?id=14147

Mighty Good Listenin'. --RoadDog


PARAPROSDOKIAN SENTENCE: When tempted to fight fire, remember that the Fire Department usually uses water.

It's a Music Thing: 1968-- Americana Music-- Hometown Heroes

Listening to WXRT's Wendy Rice doing her Saturday Morning Flashback show right now. Today;s program is right back to a special year for me, 1968. You get the music and all sorts of other stuff happening that year that covered my junior and senior years at Palatine High School in Palatine, Illinois. It goes to noon.

PICTURE BOOK-- Kinks
1 2 3 REDLIGHT-- 1910 Fruitgum Company
SPACE ODDITY-- David Bowie
CLOUD NINE-- Temptations
SUSIE-Q-- CCR

It streams so if you're not in the Chicago area, you can give a listen.

Earlier, I was listening to Cashbox's Americana Music Singles. This was the first time for me. This is where they play music by Old 97s, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Jim Lauderdale, Guy Clark, Joe Ely, Ry Cooder, Johm Hiatt, Jayhawks and Robert Earl keen. Good stuff.

Tomorrow, Bob Stroud's Rock and Roll Roots show on WDRV, The Drive at 97.1 FM in Chicago, features Hometown Heroes, the music of Chicago 60s and 70s groups like New Colony Six, Shadows of Knight, Cryan' Shames and Buckinghams.

I imagine part of this is due to the fact that he is not having his Rock and Roll Roots CD release this year because of the fall of his biggest supporter, Borders Books. He always had these groups at his release parties.

Too much Music As Well. --RoadDog