The Dudek, Finnigan, Krueger Band - Live (1978)

♫

In 1980 Les Dudek, with the help of Mike Finnigan and Jim Krueger, released the terrific album "DFK". Before that, being all signed by Columbia at the time, they already toured together. And making some fine music on the road, as you can tell by getting yourself this splendid live recording. Not a lot of live Les Dudek out there, I'm afraid. But this makes up for that. It's a FM broadcast for WPIX, recorded in 1978. Great sound, great songs, great musicians. Really, it's all great (such a fine word). And I just love hearing Les pick that guitar of his. And the Mike Finnigan songs are very good as well. As are Jim Krueger's. So, how could there be any stopping you from getting this now? Merry Christmas all! Enjoy some City Magic...

Rusty Wier - Kum-Bak Bar & Grill (1987)

♫

This Rusty Wier album is his most Country album. Er.. Hey, but it's excellent. I've said it a couple times before and I'll say it again: do yourself a favor, go get yourself some Rusty! He has a magnificent voice, sings great songs, he has that Outlaw thingy I love so much and... I added 3 live tracks as a bonus. Come on y'all, do some Daytime Drinkin'!

Blackberry Smoke DVD

♫

Excellent Southern rockers Blackberry Smoke have issued two albums ("Bad Luck Ain't No Crime" from 2003 and "Little Piece Of Dixie" from 2009) and they will be releasing their "Live From The Georgia Theatre" DVD on December 6. You can already pre-order, you can also get it for free. That is, the people of Blackberry Smoke have made two DVD's available to the first two people who will mail me the Georgia Satellites song which Blackberry Smoke covered for their debut. Edit: the first two people with the right answer (Another Chance) are Karen and Drew. Congrats.



For those wanting a taste of this fine music, you can get a couple of mp3's for free here (there's a cover of "Yesterday's Wine" featuring George Jones too!).
Do good sounding soundboards of these guys exist? Cause I'd love to get me some more of this great rock & roll.

Ray Wylie Hubbard - Off The Wall (1978)

♫

This album was requested and I am happy to share this nice rip with all of you Outlaw Country aficionados. As a matter of fact, this is right up there with any classic produced by artists such as Joe Sun, Rusty Wier or Randy Howard. "Of The Wall" is Ray Wylie Hubbard's second solo album. Before that, he did make an album with a group called Three faces West. A nice article about that period can be found on A Truer Sound. His first solo album, "Ray Wylie Hubbard & the Cowboy Twinkies" has recently been released on CD. Not this one, though. "Off The Wall" was released on Willie Nelson's Lone Star Records and is much harder to find. It features the Outlaw classic "(Up Against The Wall) Redneck Mother", made famous by Jerry Jeff Walker, which is a bit of a parody on Merle Haggard's "Okie From Muskogee". Though Merle apparently didn't care much for Ray Wylie's effort. Vocally Ray Wylie is somewhat reminiscent of David Allan Coe. 10 songs on this piece of vinyl, and it's all good. Yes. Bittersweet Funky Tuesday...

Rich Mountain Tower - Playin' To The Radio (1976)

♫

Excellent third - and final - release by Tennessee pickers Rich Mountain Tower. This should please fans of early The Ozark Mountain Daredevils and fans of Country Rock in general. Tight and fiery, great songs, splendid musicians, lovely harmonies. It's got banjo and steel guitar, yet it will have you rocking alright. Dana Paul, one of the original members of the band commented on my previous Rich Mountain Tower post and provided some worthy information. Especially considering the fact that there's hardly any info to be found on the net. Thanks again to Pete for this beaut. And it's a hot sounding transfer too. Good time music band!

Archives interviews Bands Of Dixie sur SweetHomeMusic.fr

☼

Jay Boy Adams en français
JJ Muggler Band en français
Plug & Play en français
Mose Jones in English
Hogjaw in English
Jeff Prine in English
MelonHeadMan in English

Illusion - I Like It Loud (1986)

♫

This is the second album by Illusion and it would turn out to be their last. Featuring Gary "Moses Mo" Moore (Mother's Finest) on guitar, this is another blast of commercial sounding 80's Hard Rock. I quite like both albums, I do enjoy the squeaky vocals and think the songs are worth repeated listening. Why they re-recorded "Call In The Law" from their first album is beyond me, but it doesn't bother me. The first album had a more recognizable Southern tone to it, but this record you should not pass by if you dig some punchy rocking. Shake!

Marcia Waldorf - Memoranda (1975)

♫

Marcia Waldorf released (as far as I can tell) only one album and did so for the legendary Capricorn label. Musically it's very much a Singer-Songwriter type of album. But a very good one, let me assure you. Fans of early (folky) Heart will eat this up, as will fans of artists like Carole King and such. So, how Southern is this? Well, it's got the Capricorn Rhythm Section playing along as well as some great guests. People like Chuck Leavell, Jimmy Nalls and Davis Causey (Sea Level) and Paul Hornsby. If you're in a reflective mood (or want to impress your woman with some thoughtful and easygoing tunes), this will definitely work. The woman's got a very pleasant voice, there are some good lyrics and well written songs. The rhythm of the South?

Wet Willie - Drippin' Wet (1973)

♫

Here's a fine, raunchy Southern Rock & Soul show for ya. After having released two studio albums, Wet Willie turned in their third offering with this hot live registration. You can just imagine the sweat drippin' from your speakers. I'm at a loss for words. All I need is a beer and a Red Hot Chicken..

Russell Smith - The End Is Not In Sight (2002)

♫

Another fine piece of Amazing Rhythm Aces singer Russell Smith. Now, Russell albums may be few (as are Amazing Rhythm Aces albums, considering the fact they have been around since the early 70's), but they're always worth the time to check them out. This is the kind of album that at first you might dismiss as average and inoffensive, give it a few spins and you'll soon realize this is plain craftsmanship. So, it's not 'all over the place', it's just good. Good songs, good picking and splendid singing (as always). Included here are a couple of re-recordings of Amazing Rhythm Aces classics that are pretty nice, though I prefer the originals.
I always listen to Russell Smith right before or right after listening to Dan Penn. You should try that. For those still in the dark: this is some of the finest Singer-Songwriter Southern Country Rock (all capitals!). Old school.

Allgood - Kickin & Screamin (1994)

♫

"Kickin & Screamin" is Allgood kickin' and screamin' alright. An infectious live show that shows very well just how good these cats were. Excellent Southern Rock and with deserved capitals too. There are just 5 songs here, it still has you toe-tappin' for 40 minutes. My favorite song on here would be the 16 minute long "Trilogy", with some fiery fiddle thrown in for good measure. Really, the whole album just makes you wanna go out, grab a case of beer and.. Oh well, you know what I mean. A great time to be had by all. Solid vocals and a band that sure knows how to get the crowd moving. Funky house.

Doc Holliday - Modern Medicine (1983)

♫

I guess you all know how I feel about the 80's and how, in my opinion, that period was just a really black page in the history of Rock & Roll. Doc Holliday have almost always stuck to their roots. Almost. Cause on this Mack produced album from 1983 they nearly blew it. All kinds of electronic sounds and an uncharacteristic production makes this a record a real strange piece of work. When listening to this, if someone told you this is Southern Rock, you would probably laugh right in their face. And who could blame you. But still, it's Doc Holliday, one of my favorite bands to this day. And if you try real hard, you might actually find something to enjoy. Who could say no to that raspy voice of Bruce Brookshire's? After this misstep they soon got their thing back together, playing their music the way we know and love it. But try this out. You might just have a good time after all. Doc Holliday has just finished their farewell tour and released their last album. So, buy that one. It's called "From The Vault" and has songs from their entire career that never made it to disc, both live songs, outtakes and all. Don't let "Modern Medicine" scare you off ;-)... Rock City!

Gregg Allman - Duck Tape Sessions

♫

These are the recordings made at Johnny Sandlin's Duck Tape Studio back in 1995. They were meant to become Gregg's "Searching For Simplicity" album. Instead they all turned it upside down and wound with quite a less earthier sound than these tapes. Some people even call it being butchered into the end result. Maybe. Truth is that I prefer these recordings as well. And Gregg Allman is my main man anyway. The first 11 songs are the same as on "Searching...". Then, instead of "Memphis In The Meantime" and Starting Over", there's another song, which closes this album, called "Please Let Me Know". I know all of you people own the "Searching..." album, so this makes for some nice comparing. Hey, it's the real thang! House of Blues.

Joe Sun - Heartbreak Saloon (1998)

♫

You can never have enough Joe Sun music. So, without repeating all the superlatives of previous posts, all I have to say right now is: get it. Great voice, Outlaw Country at its finest. You can't go wrong here. This is Joe Sun doing what he does best: Honky Tonkin' This World Round

George Hatcher Band - In Concert (1977)

♫

Yes! And: Holey Moley! It's the George Hatcher Band live! How's that for a treat?! This was sent to me by Ivan (thanks a million!), taped from BBC Radio and ripped from cassette. Great sound quality, great musicianship and that wonderful smoky voice of George. What else do you need? If you dug anything recorded by George Hatcher at all, you will eat this up. And it will leave you wanting more, no doubt. Which leads me to the subject of more. Cause there has to be. Halfway during the show, the BBC announcer states that the previous song was "Magic Thing". But in fact that was "Cadillac". Also, the last song is the "Talkin' Turkey" title track, but it fades out after 1:49 min. Southern Rock bands don't play songs that short, do they? But I'm really happy, make no mistake.



There's probably a full video out there as well, since I did find some parts of a show on Youtube. As always, if you have more George Hatcher, give it to me and I'll share it with the rest of the world. George is currently back in business, playing and maybe re-releasing all his albums in a box set. Check out his site as well, there are some more recent videos to watch. Enjoy this and: "gobble gobble!"

Blue Steel - Nothing But Time (1981)

♫

Blue Steel was a Texan band which released two albums, this being the second. Requested by Bigfootkit and courteously offered by Luc. It's a typical 70's sound to this release, even though it's from 1981. Guess they got stuck. It doesn't have the big, classic Southern Rock sound like The Allmans or Skynyrd. Instead, this would please those of you who also enjoyed the Traveler/Denim or Oklahoma posts. Lots of vocal harmonies and somewhat commercial sounding songs. Nothing spectacular but very pleasing all the same. They just don't make music like this anymore. A few nice originals and a rather superfluous cover of Roy Orbison's "Oh, Pretty Woman" (Van Halen they ain't). Easy going music for an easy going fun time. And I'm havin' some fun now...

Randall Bramblett - Light Of The Night (1976)

♫



This is Randall Bramblett's second solo album. And in my view, "Light Of The Night" is his best release ever. He already made a great impression with his first, "That Other Mile", but this is even better. This is laid back, at time Funky Southern Rock with a twist. Some weird lyrics to match, I still play this on a regular basis. And enjoying it thoroughly. Randall has a very pleasant voice and the playing throughout this album is impeccable. Yes, this would categorize as a classic Southern Rock album alright, albeit it one for open minded folks. Like yourselves. After this, he would move on to Sea Level. And you can tell by listening to this, that that was an obvious choice for both parties. It's a King Grand!

The Allman Brothers Band - Face The Music (1982)

♫

These are studio recordings The Allman Brothers Band made for Arista Records. Yes, I know, their Arista period wasn't their most exciting. But still, it's The Allman Brothers Band! This stuff hasn't been released. For obvious reasons. Apart from the fact that these sound like unfinished demos, it's music that's a long shot from what we love them for. Many songs are sung by an (to me) unfamiliar voice. It looks like they set out to embrace the 80's in all its glorious horror. Lifeless AOR, especially compared to their previous output. And way too few songs sung by Gregg. But I thank Craig for making these available, cause I really needed to check this out. And it's not all bad. Some songs would reappear on other albums. Like "Let It Ride" (re-recorded for "Seven Turns") and "Anything Goes" (re-recorded for Gregg's "I'm No Angel"). And those familiar with the Betts, Hall, Leavell & Trucks Geneva , NY show, will recognize titles like "Lorraine" and "Need Somebody's Help Tonight". R.I.P. David "Frankie" Toler. And thanks to E. for cleaning the sound up a bit. I did some guessing on certain track titles. Sound quality is ok, I suppose, for it being what it is. Of historical interest. Handle with care..

Billy Ray Reynolds - Whole Lot Of Memories (2002)

♫

Billy Ray Reynolds is a guitarist/singer-songwriter who used play for people like Waylon Jennings. He was also the write of "Atlanta's Burning Down", which has been covered by Dickey Betts & Great Southern. This is a great album, musically in between Outlaw Country and Singer-Songwriter stuff. This album features appearances by Bonnie Bramlett and Merle Haggard. Check out Billy Ray, he's an old pro.

Les Variations - Take It Or Leave It (1973)

♫

A bit of an oddity here. Les Variations was a French band that released 4 albums in the early 70's. Reason for inclusion here is the fact that this was recorded at the Ardent and Stax Studios in Memphis and it was produced by none other than Don Nix. That should give it a Southern twist. Or does it? Well, yes, sort of. But it's not an album you would instantly categorize as a Southern Rock album. Very nice album though, good songs and gritty vocals. It reminded me of early 70's Alice Cooper at times. Just give it a try. If I can do it.

Grinderswitch - Macon Tracks (1975)

♫

"Macon Tracks" is the second album by Grinderswitch. This is classic Southern Rock alright. Slightly more easy going than many of their contemporaries, Grinderswitch is a great listen all the same. Mostly always. This was released on Capricorn Records and sure has that trademark sound to it. Grab this and be happy like me...

Eat A Peach - Bound to Shine (2001)

♫

Eat A Peach started out as an Allman Brothers tribute band, calling themselves Brothers Of The Road at that time. Soon they started writing their own songs and changed their name to Eat A Peach, releasing two CD's, this being their second. Obviously this has a lot of Allman references, musically. But it's heavier. Nice rendition of "Ain't Wastin' Time No More" on this album. This is very nice album indeed.



Eat A Peach are still around these days, having shortened their name to simply Peach. They released a CD in 2010 called "Hogtown Packing Co.". Go see them live, they're bound to shine.

Alex Taylor - Voodoo In Me (1989)

♫

Older brother of James Taylor, Alex hardly served the same audience musically. He released his first album on the then newly formed Capricorn label, back in 1971. He did not not have a very big output on record, and since he died in 1993 that's not likely to change very soon. Though there is still the missing album from 1974 on Dunhill Records, "Third For Music", which was never released. But that it exists is proven with this youtube entry (thanks Jan). If you know who has it, get it for us.



"Voodoo In Me" was the last album Alex released. It's less classic Southern Rock than his previous album, this leans more towards homey Blues Rock, horns and all. Great voice, nothing like brother James, much rawer. He finds himself amongst pickers that sure know how to handle their instrument. This is a great late Saturday night hoe down for y'all. Tequila quicksand.

Roger Wilson Band - Roger Wilson Band (1979)

Another obscurity from my French Connection, this is the sole release by the Roger Wilson Band. Leader of the pack is Roger "Hurricane" Wilson and this would be his debut. After this album, he's recorded several CD's, none of which I've heard yet. But he describes himself as a Blues picker, so I reckon this will be the album I prefer. Musically there are the obvious Blues influences, but this is solid Southern Rock alright. despite the tinny productions, this is a fine album which will surely please fans of Toy Caldwell. Serious Rock & Roll.

38 Special - Live In Concert (1988)

♫

This is very good sounding live show by Southern AOR Rockers 38 Special. I always found their later studio albums a little too bland to attract my attention, but live it's a different story. This is FM quality and it's a nice set-list they're playing. Everybody seems to be in fine form and hearing this music played live sure gives it that much needed extra pizazz. This CD has also been released as "Memphis 1988". Rough-Housin'..

Point Blank - Airplay (1979)

♫

Veterans Point Blank are still at it. Currently they're in rehearsal for a new CD and 2011 tour, but let's not forget their excellent 70's albums. No longer in print, I guess this album, "Airplay", is my favorite. Plenty of good ol' Southern Rock as usual, but this time they had a little extra something. Or rather, somebody. I really love the contributions to this album by keyboard player Steve Hardin. He penned some of the greatest tunes on this album, like "Mean To Your Queenie" and "Danger Zone", which he also sang. And even though John O' Daniel is quite a pretty fine singer, I really love Steve's vocals. This is the only Point Blank album he's played on, and it makes me wonder if there's more music out there with him singing. Anyway, this also features the semi Progressive Southern Rock song "Penthouse Pauper", which is absolute killer. You van also check out this video of the band live in action in 2005 at Rockpalast (thanks to Bigfootkit). Great stuff, folks! Shine on!

Bruce Brookshire - The Damascus Road (2001)

♫

These days Doc Holliday guitarist/vocalist Bruce Brookshire is a pastor in Colorado and Doc Holliday is playing their last dates of their Farewell Tour. This might come as a surprise to some, but for those who know about Bruce's first solo album it's not so hard to believe. Released ten years ago, this is Bruce worshiping the Lord, while musically toning down somewhat compared to the Doc Holliday output. Now, I'm not a religious minded man, but I do dig this acoustic Southern Gospel set lots. It's more of a Singer-Songwriter/Outlaw Country album than Southern Rock, but fans of Doc Holliday will love this just the same. Great vocals as always by Bruce and some very pleasant compositions, everything played as good as you'd expect. Thanks to The Frankman for supplying. Good times!

Elvin Bishop - Live From KSAN (1976)

♫

A short one, this one. It's Elvin Bishop live in the studio, hollering and shouting and having a good time. As usual. I hardly have any information on this little live show. It was a KSAN broadcast and probably from 1976. But it could be late 1975 as well, I suppose. I compared it with shows listed on Wolfgang's Vaults that were from KSAN, but this one is not the same. I don't even know for sure that this is the complete show. What I do know is that it's Elvin Bishop at his very best with his finest band and at his finest hour. Mickey Thomas singing and doing so wonderfully. This sure left me wanting more. And those kind of shows are the best kind. Good times!

Black Oak Arkansas - Early Times (1969)

♫

Before Black Oak Arkansas there was The Knowbody Else. Same band, different name. The Knowbody Else was signed to Soul label Stax Records and one album was released before they were let go. Apparently more was recorded, though. This album, "Early Times", consists of recordings done for Stax and was only released in 1974. My dating this album 1969 is really a guess, but in the chronology of Black Oak Arkansas that's just about right. Maybe some could be from 1970. As for the music, there's no mistake who's singing and playing. If you dig the Southern Raunch & Roll of Black Oak Arkansas, this might be a bit quiet. But it's a very pleasing bunch of songs all the same. And these cats may not have had the recognition they do deserve. Cause Black Oak Arkansas was already playing up a storm long before Lynyrd Skynyrd came around. So really, it was The Allman Brothers Band and Black Oak Arkansas who started that music we all love so much. And you named it Southern Rock. Older than grandpa!

Atlanta Rhythm Section - WLIR FM Radio (1978)

♫

On March 14 Ronnie Hammond passed away. Sad news for sure. I love the laid-back music of the Atlanta Rhythm Section and that velvety voice of Ronnie's. You know what I mean. So, a post is in order here. Besides the stuff already posted here, everything is available on CD. Thus, I took the liberty of grabbing this show from D & P Bootleg Tunz World (Tons of great bootlegs over there, check it out!). It's a splendid show, recorded in 1978 and aired on WLIR FM Radio. And some footage of Ronnie and ARS for you to watch:



If you dig this, you will dig this. Have yourself a large time...

Bloodline - Bloodline (1994)

♫

Bloodline was a great band which only released this one great CD. And there are some pretty interesting bloodlines at work here. Berry Oakley, Jr., son of The Allman Brothers Band bassist Berry Oakley. The son of The Doors' Robby Krieger, Waylon Krieger and son of Miles Davis, Erin Davis. This was also the first band featuring Joe Bonamassa. So, plenty good reason for checking this out. Or maybe the fact that Warren Haynes joins in on a couple songs may grab your attention? And if I told you this is terrific funky yet in-your-face Southern Rock, would that do it for ya? It's a Southern Rock classic that time has yet to discover. And thanks to Shmoopatties this now comes with two live bonus tracks. Dixie peach!

Rusty Wier - Live At Poor David's Pub (1994)

♫

Here's a treat for y'all. It's a live show by the highly entertaining Rusty Wier, and it's one of my favorite posts of the last months. Just some guitar and vocals, no band this time. For those unfamiliar with Rusty, he's a singer-songwriter of the Outlaw Country type. Slightly tougher than Guy Clark, playing some great songs, possessing a very characteristic, pleasant voice and very amusing and endearing. The sound is excellent, making you feel like you're there. Some surprising cover versions of "Amie" and "You've Lost That Loving Feeling", this whole show is wonderful (thanks Matt!). I think it's time for you to get into Rusty. And this is as good a start as any. Something else.

The Nighthawks - Live At The Bottom Line (1990)

♫

Thanks to Helvis for this nice live document of The Nighthawks, featuring Jimmy Hall of Wet Willie on vocals and Jimmy Nalls of Sea Level on guitar. Musically this is more barroom type Blues/Boogie than Wet Willie's brand of Southern Rock. I don't think the songs stand out much, but the playing is just fine. A very enjoyable live show. Some songs of Wet Willie are played here, and they're the ones I enjoy most. And Jimmy can sing! The sound of this recording is like a decent soundboard. Just think: barroom+beer+rock&roll=goodtimes. Keep on smilin'!

The Winters Brothers Band - Keep On Running (1985)

♫

The Winters Brothers Band consisted of brothers Dennis and Donnie Winters, along with their band. I first learned about them, listening to the Charlie Daniels' Volunteer Jam, which had them playing and singing the songs, "Sang Her love Songs and "Rich Kids", in the late 70's. This EP has 5 songs and was released in 1984. Yes, the dreaded 80's. It's pretty much a product of it's time. There's some definite attempts at trying to sound modern, which I reckon most of you won't care much about. But some tracks are very good, so do not dismiss this as yet another piece of plastic Rock from the 80's. Strangest song here is the track "Jailer-Jailer", which has them sounding like Harry Belafonte. So, this is not (!) representative of The Winters Brothers Band! But thanks Dirk for sending this. I like to have a complete view of what went on with Southern Rock through all the years, even if it's the Dark Ages of Rock & Roll. Some of these tracks would end up in re-recorded versions on later albums. And those are the ones that will stick. This one's for satisfying a curious mind. Keep on running...

Rossington - Returned To The Scene Of The Crime (1986)

♫

After two Rossington Collins Band albums, Allen Collins released one more very goof Southern Rock album with the Allen Collins Band, called "Here, There & Back". Gary Rossington followed three years later with this album, "Returned To The Scene Of The Crime". Now, we're well into the dark pages of Rock & Roll history here. And I'm afraid this is where things definitely got sour. Unless, of course, you enjoyed Cher and "If I Could Turn Back Time". Cause this album has more in common with that type of output than anything called Southern Rock. Gary must've been looking for a hit. I don't know whether he actually got one with this album, but I wouldn't be surprised. This is really slick, polished up AOR with just a bare hint of Southern at all. It's not bad, but neither is Journey or Foreigner. But that's not what I'm hoping for when buying an album of people related to one of my favorite Southern Rock acts of all time (yes, besides The Allmans I'm a big fan of Ronnie Van Zant-era Lynyrd Skynyrd). Still, for historical purposes this may be worth checking out. And if you're a fan of AOR music in general, you may well enjoy this album lots. Dale is a great singer and Gary does still possess that beautiful tone of his, which can still be heard if you listen carefully. Dangerous love.

Randy Howard - Now And Then (1976)

♫

For those of you who enjoyed Outlaw Country singer Randy Howard, here's a treat. Thanks to the wonderful Kathleen for finding this and sending me the vinyl. The result is a sweet rip of the super rare debut album by Randy. This was released in 1976 on Utopian Records and it's more solid Country than I thought it would be. I figured since he's from Macon and this being 1976, there would be more Southern Rock influences. But that's not the case. What you do get is the kind of Outlaw Country that Hank, Jr. and Tommy Jennings produced. No sugar-coated Nashville Country here, but honest to goodness music, straight from the heart. Already you Randy possesses that rich low voice of his, and the music is all well written and played. You can play this one over and over again. Something else.

George McCorkle - American Street (1999)

♫

"American Street" is the one and only solo album by former Marshall Tucker Band guitarist George McCorkle. There's an undeniable MTB sound to this, but it's nothing like a regular MTB record. Instead, this is a laid back, easy going record with some excellent guitar picking. Now, George was no singer, though he's not the worst at trying. Problem is, I think, that he never comes out of his comfort zone, thus making it all sound a little lifeless at times. This is the kind of music that will offend no one, but there's still plenty going on to make it grow on you. Peace stories...

Randall Bramblett & Davis Causey - Visionary School (1992)

♫

Yep, this is an update. I finally got the whole thing complete, including the right track titles and artwork. No new music, though.
"Visionary School" consists of recordings made by Randall Bramblett during the 90's. It was sold on cassette at live shows. This already sounds very much like the albums he put out from 1998 on. So, that makes them Southern Rock with a twist? I guess Southern Rock fans should really go after his 70's albums, "That Other Mile" and "Light Of The Night". Momentarily out of stock, but his other albums can be bought at Randall's homepage. These recordings, however, are not available anymore. Listening to these tracks, it made me think Mark Knopfler could easily make a credible album with these songs. But I prefer Randall Bramblett any day. Some great songs on this album. Thanks go out to Craig for this. I really appreciate it. And so will you, I bet. And thanks to Richard for the artwork and for making this puzzle complete. Very enjoyable stuff here. Randall has no intention releasing this album. Maybe the masters got lost? I don't get it..

Eddie Stone - Right Tonight (1999)

♫

"Right Tonight' is a straight-ahead, yet commercial sounding album. Eddie Stone is, I guess, honorary member of Doc Holliday. On this, it's Doc Holliday's keyboardist on his own. But not alone. He has one tight band supporting him on a really good record. I guess this one's really for fans of new Skynryd and 80's Southern Rock. For that, it's well produced and it actually grows on me. A bit. Really, I prefer it more loose and with occasional long tracks. This sometimes feels like it was aiming for a hit record. But for havin' some unpretentious fun, this works wonders. And the music? It has good songs and it sounds good. Hey, it might be good after all. In fact, I'll have a good cry

Cowboy - A Different Time (The Best Of Cowboy)

♫

Cowboy was a band lead by Scott Boyer and Tommy Talton, which put out records from 1970 up to 1977. In between they released the T. Talton, B. Stewart, J. Sandlin album "Happy To Be Alive", which was pretty much yet another Cowboy piece. The music Cowboy played is a lot less rocking than contemporaries like The Allman Brothers Band, Black Oak Arkansas or Lynyrd Skynyrd. Instead, Cowboy relied on a somewhat Folk/Hippie kind of laid back Southern Country Rock. If that makes any sense. Pretty good music, though. And some great guest players along for the fun. Like Duane Allman, Chuck Leavell, Randall Bramblett, Dru Lombar, Jaimoe and Toy Caldwell. Then again, Boyer and Talton have been playing along with quite a few good folks as well, like backing up Gregg Allman in the 70's on his solo tour. And lots more, you do the searching. They are still active musically. Some of my favorite songs, some of which you may know from being covered by others, are "All My Friends", "Living In The Country" (on The Alabama State Troupers), "Please Be With Me" and"It Might Be The Rain". And they're all on this out-of-print-best-of. Everything here..

Rolling Thunder Band - Kick In The Asphalt (1997)

♫

On the Sea Level's last recorded release, the single "Make You Feel Love Again", lead vocals were handled by Blue Miller. I had never heard of him before, but boy, what a great singer! So, I did some searching and found (well, actually Wayne found this one. thanks!) some albums he sang on. He never made it to the big league, but for those who try, there is stuff with Blue out there. His vocal style is very reminiscent to Bob Seger's. Blue at one time worked with Bob, and apparently learned a trick or two. This album was made for NASCAR. I don't quite know how that works, since I'm not a race-car fan. I'm under the impression, nevertheless, that this was a one off thing, meant to be just that. However, it appears that this was first released as "Kick In The Asphalt", with no clue whether that was the name of the record or the band, and then it was released with a band name, the Rolling Thunder Band. At first I was somewhat shocked, thinking this was a brainless piece of 90's Nashville Country Rock, all about cars and partying. It's still about that, but the album definitely grows on me. It's a great band, enjoyable songs and magnificent vocals by Blue. This is good. No bull.

The Alabama State Troupers - Road Show (1972)

♫

Excellent album, this one, by Don Nix and his all-star show, The Alabama State Troupers. Don might be best well known for the fact that he wrote the classic Blues track "Going Down", but he played quite a significant role in the early Soul and Southern Rock scene. At the time of this release, Don had already released two solo albums, the first of which was "In God We Trust". That album already featured some appearances by Blues legend Furry Lewis. On this album, a live double one at that (with a very big thank you to Pete, who sent me his copy. much obliged man!), Furry Lewis (78 years old) gets to play the whole of side one. He's a funny and very endearing man, very appreciative of his inclusion on this road show. The record, in spirit, might best be compared to Joe Cocker's "Mad Dogs & Englishmen", or a Charlie Daniels Volunteer Jam avant la lettre. Put together a great bunch of talent from all kinds of musical background and take them on the road. Like the aforementioned Blues, there's Gospel, Country and Rock. The Gospel comes from The Mt. Zion Choir and The Mt. Zion Band (featuring Wayne Perkins on guitar), with some terrific vocal performances by Jeanie Greene. And then there's Don playing his Rock. This being 1972, it's Southern Rock still in its infancy and absolutely gorgeous. Just watch this video of Don playing "Amos Burke" (along with Leon Russell, not on this album but the music is pretty much what you get here as well)..



And some more great rockers, like "Asphalt Outlaw Hero" and the evergeen "Going Down". Jeanie Green, Marlin Greene along with Wayne Perkins also sing a nice version of Cowboy's "Living In The City". All in all, you can't go wrong with this celebration of life and music. Mighty time!

Shooter Jennings - Missed The Boat (2010)

♫

Good news for all you Shooter Jennings fans. Shooter has released an album full of goodies that never made it onto any official release. You can not order the CD, but the good news is that it's free. And you can not get it here, but the good news is that if you register on Shooter's home page, you can download it there. Yes man, free, at no cost at all! How's that for a bargain?! And even better news is that it's not just throwaways, there's some pretty good stuff here. Demos, other studio recordings, a duet with mama Jessi Colter and some live tracks, ranging from 1998 up to 2010. It's all good news! Yes, Shooter loves his fans. And I love Shooter. This ain't no Rejected Television Theme Song

Le Roux - Keep the Fire Burning (1979)

Second album by Lousiana's Le Roux, still so called on this outing, is a logical follow up to their first self-titled album. Once more we get treated to their smooth, yet highly enjoyable mixture of Southern Slickness. Maybe not as strong as the debut, this is still one of the finer albums you'll find this side of obscurity. Let's face it, if you're looking for some Raunch & Roll, look away. But if, like me, you're into R&B injected Southern Rock, sweetened up with vocal harmonies while in the meantime some cool picking is going on, then this is for you. Excellent originals and a nice cover of Otis Reddings' "Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa". Funky and fierce. And on this out of print CD reissue some great bonus tracks to go. "Ain't Nothing But A Gris Gris", which would turn up again on their 1999 album of the same name, only this time sung by Jeff Pollard (a hell of a singer, now devoting his life to that other guy), has a great New Orleans groove. I guess you get the picture by now, this is hot stuff. Keep the fire burning!

Don Bowman - Still Fighting Mental Health (1979) & On The Road Too Long (1981)

♫

Alright folks, this is the last I have to offer of my Don Bowman collection. And you get two for the price of one, at no cost at all. "Still Fighting Mental Health" and "On The Road Too Long" are basically the same album, apart from one song. Or two, depending how you look at it. The first one has the song "East Virginia Blues", which the second omits. It's a fairly serious song, actually 'sung', a nice bit of Outlaw Country. The second, instead, has "On The Road Too Long", a spoof on Willie Nelson's "On The Road Again". The rest of the album (we're talking both now) has some of the funniest songs of Don's recorded output. Quite hilarious is "Dear Fred", about a guy handling affairs for his friend in prison. Who needs enemies with friends like that? I mentioned Willie Nelson, and you can hear him do quite some harmonies hroughout the album.


"Coward At The Alamo" from "Fresh From The Funny Farm" and "Hello D.J" from "The All New Don Bowman" we already knew in the bleeped versions. Well, here they are again, both bleeped and un-bleeped. Go wash that mouth with soap, Don! And one of the highlights is Don, with Willie and Waylon Jennings harmonizing, singing his biggest hit that never was, "Willon And Waylee". That's all folks. If you have more Don Bowman, let me know. List-in to this!

The J.J. Muggler Band - New Ruins (1999)

♫

I learned about The J.J. Muggler Band only a couple of months back. But boy, what have I been missing?! This is easily one of the best Southern Rock bands of later years. Though that may not be quite true. They did release their first album in 1994, but they actually started out in the early 70's. This is their third album and it's no longer available. And it's a scorcher. Classic Southern Rock with a NOLA twist (yes, these cats hail from Louisiana), excellent songs, excellent playing. There's something about this music, like a warm coat in the winter. It just makes you feel right on. They do a terrific version of "Dreams". Or "Dreams I'll Never See". They start off with the Molly Hatchet 4/4 version, then halfway shift to the Allman's 3/4 version and then back to 4/4 again. I thought that was a treat. And the vocals are pretty solid as well. You should check out their last album, "Hard Luck Town", which you can still buy. And that one is even better than this one. Grab this guys! Mojo Comin'!

Joe Sun - I Ain't Honky Tonkin' No More (1982)

♫

"I Ain't Honky Tonkin' No More", another great album by Outlaw Country hero, Mr. Joe Sun. And thank God he's lying through his teeth. Cause here he is, doin' some serious honky tonkin' alright. This was where Joe started label hopping, cutting this one for Elektra Records. It sounds like a slight attempt to sort of fit the mainstream Country at that time. But that's just a slight attempt, don't you worry. Still plenty of rocking out on this excellent piece of vinyl, nicely concerted for you convenience into a sweet sounding rip. Well, what can I say that I haven't already said in previous Joe Sun posts? The man is one of the finest Outlaw Country singers, making some of the finest Outlaw Country music. And this album is as good as any he's done. Gimme Some Lovin'.

Sea Level - Make You Feel Love Again (1982)

♫

This is the last official recording by Sea Level, released in 1982 on the Arista label. And this was a major departure from the Sea Level we know and love from the 70's. They sure sound like they were aiming for a hit record. Maybe it wasn't but it had all the quality to be one. This has "Make You Feel Love Again" on the A and B side, one in stereo and the other mono. The song was also on the unreleased album "After The Dance", and this sure got me confused. I'm not familiar with Blue Miller as a vocalist, but if this is him, then who was singing the other version? Anyway, thanks to Luc, we can now enjoy this beautiful version of a great Southern Soul track. Sure made me feel love again.

Illusion - Illusion (1985)

♫

Ok, some loud Southern AOR for you. Illusion has two former Mother's Finest members in the band, Gary "Moses Mo" More on guitar and Barry "B.B. Queen" Borden on drums. Barry went on to play with Molly Hatchet, The Outlaws and The Marshall Tucker Band. But let's not get ahead of ourselves too much just yet. This is the mid 80's, when big hair was the big thing, and every song you had to be able to shout along. Very few albums of that period have stood the test of time, most sound dreadfully outdated. Yes, that's me speaking my mind. But there were some memorable albums. And I think this is one of them. Virtue of this album is, it has some actual songs. Sometimes very reminiscent in sound to the Mother's Finest "Iron Age" album. Squeaky but powerful vocals by some guy named Jay, and a true fine Rock duet with former Small Faces front man Steve Marriott on the song "She Weighs A Ton". This is in your face, loud & sleazy Rock & Roll with just a touch of Southern. Though you've got to strain to spot that. Still, I love it lots. This is not the vinyl rip already circulating (I did steal their artwork, however), this one is new and done by yours truly. And I did a hell of a job, if I say so myself. And why not?! Oh well, Won't You?