It's the 1970s, semi-obscure country music appreciation thread

[stanger]

Lion In The Winter

A lovely duet by Hoyt Axton and Linda Ronstat

Love this song.

[Absinthe_Anecdote]

This is a little off topic, but I figure that the people following this thread could answer a quick question about the Hee Haw universe.

Can anyone explain to me the popularity of the Hagar Brothers?

I was a small kid during the 1970s and remember watching Hew Haw with my grandparents and being completely baffled by them.

I remember thinking that they looked like cocker spaniels with those ridiculous haircuts, and I couldn’t understand why they were on TV.

Were they ever respected outside of Hew Haw, or considered “sexy country hunks” as they were purported to be in the ridiculous fake corn fields of Hew Haw? I remember being outraged that Barbie Benton pretended to swoon over them.

Just look at them. http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/hI2iqr8E4dk/hqdefault.jpg

How was that hairstyle popular, even in the midst of all the other insane fashions of the 1970s.

Was I ahead of my time to scoff at them in the 1970s, or did I have plenty of company?

[F.U.Shakespeare]

Jody Miller is a lovely country singer who covered a wide range of (racy!) material before it was accepted. (The first time I remember hearing Paul Simon’s “Homeward Bound”, it was by Jody). Here is my favorite song she’s ever sung:

“Good News”

Before Shania Twain, there was Jody Miller.

Everyone remembers “Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Old Oak Tree” by Tony Orlando and Dawn.

I first heard the country cover by Johnny Carver.

But IMO neither one of those holds up like Carver’s sequel “You Really Haven’t Changed” which continued the story of a guy getting out of prison and coming home.

Re: Hagers: I don’t know either - I guess you had to be there.

[Savannah]

@DChord568

I
Set 'em Up Joe

I love that song.

And also, Linda Ronstadt could sing the ingredients from a granola bar, and I’d buy that. Country rock at its very, very finest. I’m willin’, yes, indeed.

[Bridget_Burke]

To me, KOKE-FM represented a good slice of 70’s Country…

In the summer of 1972, Willie Nelson moved into Austin, just 6 months after KOKE-FM switched to its new format called Country Rock or the more politically correct term at the time “progressive country”. Country Radio would never be the same. From the Carter Family to the Rolling Stones, to Waylon and Willie, you could hear the music that Austinites were listening to on I-35 and on South Congress. In 1974 Billboard named KOKE-FM the most innovative station in the country.

KOKE-FM played a role in the careers of all the “outlaws”. Waylon, Willie and the boys lead the way with KOKE-FM to help promote some of the most iconic singer/songwriters of the time thanks to program director Joe Gracey. When Jerry Jeff Walker needed an audience to record “Up Against the Wall Redneck Mother”, he called KOKE-FM to get the crowd he needed.

One of the characteristics of a regional music business was that the players, operating out of the glare of the big media centers, often made their own rules. “Redneck Rock” was created by KOKE-FM where the “outlaws” played by their own rules. No one realized that what had started in that little studio on North Lamar would have such a profound effect on country music all across the world

Many of us down here in Houston knew that stuff but KOKE packaged it so well. (Houston folkies remembered Jerry Jeff, Guy & Townes before they went Nashvile.) Then there was the KPFT benefit “Tribute to the Cosmic Cowboys”. Those picture are misleading–all those ex-folkies did well enough, but there were real ex-Bob Wills Playboys jamming with Asleep at the Wheel.

All that hippie shit aside, Moe Bandy was pretty fine…

Ray Wiley Hubbard wrote "Up Against the Wall Redneck Mother"

When we lived in Washington, D.C. we always attended the Texas State Society’s Black Tie and Boots Inaugural Ball, held every four years. It was the best of all the inaugural balls, strictly non-partisan, with superb entertainment direct from Texas.

The 1989 ball honored George H.W. Bush, and we arrived to find about 3,000 people crammed into one of four adjoining ballrooms at the Washington Hilton, awaiting the arrival of the new president and his wife.

The first person we saw was Molly Ivins, who said, “Let’s get out of here. Jerry Jeff Walker is playing his heart out to about 20 people in the next room.”

We followed Molly into the next room, and sure enough there was Jerry Jeff, surrounded by a very small group of Texans, including a sextet of bejeweled and beautifully coifed Midland matrons in evening gowns. They had Petroleum Club Republican written all over them, but when Jerry Jeff broke into “Up Against the Wall” they joined right in.

My wife, who had never lived in Texas, was open-mouth astonished.

“They know all the words,” she said.

[Savannah]

@stanger

Lion In The Winter

A lovely duet by Hoyt Axton and Linda Ronstat

Love this song.

Dang. You are my people. (Sniffs.)

I believe I’ll be wallowing in some nostalgia tonight.

[Savannah]

@F.U.Shakespeare

Jody Miller is a lovely country singer who covered a wide range of (racy!) material before it was accepted.

I have a couple of her albums! Like, the big black vinyl things. Underappreciated, man.

[F.U.Shakespeare]

Too early for the 1970’s, but Roger Miller’s Engine Engine Number Nine was one of the most haunting country songs from that era.

But don’t take my word: hear a real guitar player:

- YouTube

[Lightlystarched]

I know the Eagles aren’t “country”, but lots of the songs kinda swung that way, maybe “Heartache Tonight”?

Ooops, still trying to figure out the song for Delphia.

[Johnny_Q]

Pardon me, I’ve got someone to kill.

[nightshadea]

I don’t remember who sang it but I remember a song called wolfcreek pass from a old 70s “truckers greatest hits” tape ,and my fav of tom t was sneaky snake …

[F.U.Shakespeare]

Wolf Creek Pass was sung by C. W. McCall

[nightshadea]

@F.U.Shakespeare

Wolf Creek Pass was sung by C. W. McCall

wow I thought it sounded a bit similar to convoy …even trippier is who he really was …

[aceplace57]

Long Hard Road by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

I’m surprised how few people remember it. It was the Dirt Bands first number 1 hit.

[ThisSpaceForRent]

Swingin' , John Anderson , 1983

This thread makes me happy!