Okay, I’ll admit it: I’m a Redneck. I enjoy this kind of music every once in a while. And there’s another guy who does this kind of rock-a-billy / honky-tonk style - he plays a siamese twin kind of guitar and his name is Little Jimmy or something like that? Anyway, do any of you folks know other bands that play this kind of music? I have never listened to The Red Hot Chili Peppers; are they into this style? And maybe the Vaughn Brothers? Help me out here, folks, ‘cause "my tears are wellin’ up and mah heart’s about ta brayake".
The Mavericks are the only other group that I know plays this type of music. I know Flaco Jimenez, who plays the accordian with the Texas Tornadoes, played on a couple of songs with them.
Thanks, Grace. 'Preciate it. You know, we really honor you in our family…we say your name before every meal!
Well, ralf, if you are ever in Atlanta, you need to drop by the Star Community Bar, in Little Five Points, which features lesser-known/up-and-coming bands in this musical vein. You would be in hog heaven.
Here is a link to The Star Bar’s website, where you can find links to the home pages of some of the bands that perform there…
Ralf you are thinking of Junior Brown. He’s a great player. I’ll second the Mavericks.
If you listen to the RHCP’s your eyes will fall out (and that’s not a good thing). They are more on the funk metal end of the spectrum. Definitely not country influenced.
Keith
Dang! Thanks everyone for the nice response.
spoke-: seeing that website reminds me of one the all-time honky-tonk classics, “Red Necks, White Socks, and Blue-Ribbon Beer”!
Odieman: Thanks for the info. I’ll keep my eyes in and listen to Junior Brown!
Find a decent independent record store and check out the “Alternative Country” section. I really hate the term, since “alternative” has become such a buzzword in the music biz, but I once heard the genre defined as “country music that isn’t mass-produced claptrap”. You’ll occasionally see Johnny Cash in the Alternative Country section, which tells me all I need to know about modern mainstream country music.
You should definitely check out Junior Brown–his live show kicks my ass. Another act you might like is BR5-49, who are touring nationally now after getting their start playing for tips at Robert’s Western Wear in Nashville. (Legend has it that John Michael Montgomery walked in one night and offered them $10 for every Hank Williams song they could play. Fortunately, he only had $390 on him at the time.)
I would also recommend Alejandro Escovedo, Hank Williams III (the talent appears to skip generations), and if you’re ready to take the rockabilly up a notch, the Reverend Horton Heat. (His new disc is fantastic, I hear.)
Dr. J
I’ll second Doctor J on the BR5-49 recommendation. They are one of the best live acts around. (I saw them at the Star Bar a couple of years back, incidentally.) I have to say that their recordings don’t quite convey the energy of their live shows, but you should definitely come see them if they play within a 120-mile radius of wherever you are.
ralf, the Star Bar is sort of a parody of an old honky-tonk. Pabst Blue Ribbon is the house beer. Incidentally, the bar is in an old bank building. They have converted what used to be the vault into a tongue-in-cheek shrine to Elvis Presley, complete with candles, tons of Elvis memorabilia, and a golden throne (commode) set high in a place of honor to memorialize the King’s untimely demise.
The whole place is a real hoot. Many of the regulars come out dressed up in 1950’s-era country-western or rockabilly attire, complete with appropriate sideburns for the guys and Bettie Page hairstyles for the gals. You should definitely experience this bar if you are ever down this way.
Thanks again, everyone, for the responses. I have seen Junior Brown and Reverend Horton Heat on Austin City Limits and they do indeed have wild shows. I will try to find their albums and also listen to music from BR5-49, A. Escovedo, and Hank the 3rd. My brother-in-law lives in Atlanta, so maybe I’ll get a chance to make it into the Star Bar someday; but Atlanta is a long dang way from Eagle River, Alaska!
Hey Ralph- you definately must check out Southern Culture on the Skids. They are an awesome rock-a-billy/rock band. I’m not sure what label they’re on now but you should be able to find them on amazon or something like that.
kelliebob: Southern Culture on the Skids - sounds like a lot of my friends up here in the oil patch! LOL! BTW, any relation to JoeBob Briggs or KelliBelli?
I just noticed that my post count in this thread has remained the same for all of my entries - 290. I wonder if Cecil forgot to pay some of his wizardly minions? There must be some poor, unpaid gnome-like kind of a person who uses an abacus to keep track of our post numbers.
Duh!!! Yep, that’s the way it’s supposed to work, radar! Holy glass belly-button, Batman! See, I don’t get this high tecknolagee! Just hit your ignore key for these last two posts, folks.
How about Bill Kirchen, or Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Arimen?
And check out the Austin Lounge Lizards if you’ve had more than a few beers (the only way to listen to them).
Ahh! the Derailers!!
Now we’re talkin’!
To finish the last line of the OP “When the ring goes on your finger it’s too late.”
The Derailers are the best! And they’re all good pals of mine. One can (and should) dial them up at: http://www.derailers.cc
Some bands you might like if you like them?
older ones:
Buck Owens and the Buckaroos (of course!)
Merle Haggard
Faron Young
Johnny Horton
Harlan Howard (guitarist Brian Hofeldt named his baby son
Harlan after H. Howard)
newer ones:
Junior Brown (fellow Austinite)
Two Tons of Steel (also from Austin)
Dale Watson (yet again, from Austin)
Don Walser (that’s right- Austin)
BR-549
The Hollisters
Deke Dickerson (who I had in mind when you mentioned the
twin-guitar thing, he has a guitar/mandolin)
Ray Condo (from Canada)
Big Sandy & the Fly-Rite Boys (really Western Swing, but
Very good! cool website too)
Johnny Dilks and the Visitacion Valley Boys
The Darlings (from Lincoln NE)
Split Lip Rayfield (from KS - really more bluegrass the bass player plays a bass made from a Ford truck gas tank)
Moonshine Willy (from Chicago)
T. Jarrod Bonta (Austin, TX)
Kim Lenz and her Jaguars (from Dallas)
Billy Bacon & the Forbidden Pigs (from San Diego, they do
rockabilly, blues, and Tex-Mex. Excellent band)
Those are only a few that I could think of off the top of my bean. If you do dial up the Derailers’ site, look at the photos. The one of the drummer and Ruth Buzzi was taken by me. Also leave it in the guest book that Sweet Basil sent ya.
Hope this helps!
Sweet Basil