Are You Ready for the Country?

Are You Ready for the Country

EUGENE JOHN  | 2023

Waylon Jennings - Are You Ready for the Country
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80’s - Growing Up Country - Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, John Denver, Waylon Jennings & Kenny Rogers were on everything I seen from Movies to T.V. shows. They were so warm, welcoming and too much fun. From Dolly’s jubilant laughter, Willie’s kindness, to John Denver’s warm smile, they left an impression on my soul.

90’s - Twang on this! - In my teens it was English bands that made the “TWANG” cool: Depeche Mode, PJ Harvey, and Alien Sex Fiend, and later, the Californian, Chris Isaak , and the N.Y. band, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. PRIMUS’ “TWANGiNESS” also had a HUGE influence on me. While hardwired to Industrial Music throughout the 90’s, I have always been attracted to any kind of band or artist with a hint of that cool “TWANG” in their music. 

2000’s - The Rising Sun - The “TWANG” had a name: Rockabilly. I immersed myself in all the Rockabilly Sun Records had to offer. I devoured everything Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, Charlie Feathers, and Eddie Cochran. For yeeeaars I enjoyed Sun Records Rockabilly every summer. That “TWANG” resonated with my soul. It felt just right.

2010 - Beyond The Sun - I absolutely love everything Johnny Cash produced while at Sun Records. Everything. It was time I explored beyond Johnny’s Sun musical output. With Johnny Cash, and then, Waylon Jennings, it was Country music, the final destination for the “TWANG” my soul so very desired all these years. I am finally home. I am beyond satisfied and damn near closed to leveling up to adorning a cowboy hat. 

Johnny Cash:

After The Ball

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Dolly Parton:

Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)

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Waylon Jennings:

 Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way

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Loretta Lynn:

You're Lookin' at Country

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Merle Haggard: 

(My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers

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George Strait: Heartland 

(Official Music Video)

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Dwight Yoakam: 

Guitars, Cadillacs (Official Video)

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Marty Stuart: Tempted

(Official Music Video)

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Garth Brooks: 

The Beaches of Cheyenne

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Clint Black:

A Good Run of Bad Luck

(Official Music Video)

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Alan Jackson: Gone Country

 (Official Music Video)

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Clay Walker:

If I Could Make A Living 

(Official Music Video)

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Toby Keith: You Ain't Much Fun

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And now for some records. Some other time I’ll share with you my extensive record collection. I’m pretty sure I have an enough 7” country records for a jukebox. 

Waylon Jennings vinyl albums

Hank Williams

Here’s some 7” records | Zoom in for more info 

Johnny Cash

Part 1 - Click to enlarge

Part 2 - Click to enlarge 

The Twang Heard Around the Universe

 

Sometime back in my teens, early 90’s to be exact, I just had to get my hands on everything, anything Wax Trax! Records. There was some kind of magical quality to music & band’s associated with Wax Trax! 

I give major thanks to Uncle Al (Al/Alien/Alain/Alejandro) Jourgensen for his prolific and super-random output through the label—with extra super-special thanks to Jim Nash & Dannie Flesher. I gobbled up all the music and still enjoy it immensely to this very day. 

“I like [Wax Trax! Records] because they’re full of Get-Up-and-Go!”***

Ministry • Front 242 • KMFDM • My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult • Chris Connelly • Rev Co & . . . 

Fast forward to present day, now in my 40’s, and it’s Sun Records illuminating my days and nights with pure Rockabilly (& Blues) glory. 

As far back as I can remember, I always had a thing for that certain TWANG in music. Especially when I really got into music, that certain TWANG would make me smile. I blame that amazing catchy The Dukes of Hazzard theme song, Goold Ol’ Boys, by the legend, Waylon Jennings. It’s been roaming my brain ever since I was a TV manic growing up in the 80’s.  I always found the TWANG familiar, cool and very, very  appealing: Depeche Mode: Personal Jesus, Alien Sex Fiend: I Walk The Line, PJ Harvey: 50 ft Queenie, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion: TWANG here & there, Misfits: American Nightmare, The Reverend Horton Heat: One Time for Me, Bob Dylan: Subterranean Homesick Blues, and it goes and on.

Elvis Presley • Johnny Cash • Carl Perkins • Jerry Lee Lewis • Roy Orbison • +Charlie Feathers+ & . . .

And take one extra step to this very day, and I’m enjoying Classic Country. It feels just right. 

For further info, follow this link: [ ENTER ]

 

Judas Priest / Screaming for Vengeance / 1982

Who knows, by the time summer time comes to an end, I’ll probably switch gears and dive face forward into 80’s Metal 💿 Pop Metal?

KISS • Judas Priest • RATT • Dokken • Alice Cooper • Def Leppard • KIX • Queensrÿche • Van Halen, The Transformers Soundtrack & . . . 

Bob Dylan / Nashville Skyline / 1969

***The Jetsons: Elroy’s Pal (1962) Season 1, Episode 14.

Duo De Twang

 “Listen, let's get down to brass tacks here.”

Primus - Jerry Was A Race Car Driver

I love Rockabilly. I love classic Country.

If you too love that one-of-kind, infectious TWANG, than you should really get your hands on this album:

Les Claypool’s Duo De Twang: Four Foot Shack 

From the day that this album was unleashed (February 4, 2014) to this very day, I cannot  get enough of Duo De Twang’s: “Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver” & “Jerry Was A Race Car Driver.” It almost feels like you’re reading and enjoying a good book or set of short stories. Les Claypool has a gift for painting a super-imaginative tale with his lyrics. Theses versions possess some kind of natural magical quality. This album along with Charlie Feathers, Johnny Cash Sun Records Years ease my mind and regenerate my spirit.

Well, I guess I gotta say: Les Claypool’s Duo De Twang is what I had hoped for so long Buck Satan and the 666 Shooters would of been-could of been. Duo De Twang satisfies all my super-eccentric Twangy needs.    

🎥These songs belong in a movie.🍿 

• Lesclaypool.com

• Primusville.com

Primus - Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver