Last week's theme at Star Maker Machine was the fifty states.
Going through my “state” songs, I wasn't surprised to see that Texas, California, Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee inspired more than their fair share of good songs. Another top tier state, with a deep roster of quality tunes, is Kentucky.
The Bluegrass State has a great musical tradition. Notable Kentuckians include Bill Monroe, Loretta Lynn, and Tom T. Hall.
In addition to great music, Kentucky is also known for its bourbon, tobacco, horse racing, basketball, and fried chicken.
Sounds like a fellow could have a pretty good time there.
Anyway, here’s a Kentucky mix to enjoy with a nice bourbon over the rocks:
Dwight Yoakam – South Of Cincinnati (buy)
The Gosdin Brothers – Bowling Green (buy)
Emmylou Harris – Blue Kentucky Girl (buy)
Bill Monroe – Blue Moon Of Kentucky (buy)
Bill Monroe – Kentucky Waltz (buy)
Loretta Lynn – Coal Miner’s Daughter (buy)
The Louvin Brothers - Kentucky (buy)
Merle Travis – Kentucky Means Paradise (buy)
Merle Haggard – Kentucky Gambler (buy)
The Kinks – Kentucky Moon (buy)
Randy Newman – Old Kentucky Home (buy)
The Osborne Brothers – My Old Kentucky Home (buy)
Jann Brown - Louisville (buy)
Tom T. Hall – I Flew Over Our House Last Night (buy)
Ralph Stanley & Dwight Yoakam – Miner’s Prayer (buy)
Jimmie Davis – Roll Along, Kentucky Moon (buy)
For more state songs, check out Divinyl's excellent, and growing, list at Ceci N'est Pas un Blog.
Sunday, July 06, 2008
A man in Kentucky sure is lucky . . .
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8 comments:
A most excellent set, Paul...some really stonking tracks! And thanks for the shout-out :o) Post number three of the series should be up before day's end.
As for Kentucky songs...how about Ella Fitzgerald and Louisville, KY?
P.s. That Ralph Stanley/Dwight Yoakam track looks familiar ;o) I've had that up on my blog when I did the mining themed post.
This really is a great mix :o)
Of course the problem with lists is the inevitable comment mentioning what was missed. One of my favorite songs in general and appropos for the list is John Prine's "Paradise." In the liner notes to a Prine collection he said that when he met Bill Monroe he was introduced as the guy that wrote "Paradise" and Monroe responded by saying he thought that song was an old one he had missed - which Prine took as the wonderful compliment that it was.
Thanks again for a nice list.
HDO
HDO - That's a good story.
Great list!
Now for the obligatory suggested addition: Eight More Miles To Louisville by Grandpa Jones, also covered nicely by Willie Nelson.
Great list. And I'm having a case of the deja vus because my favorite version of "Bowling Green" is by Neko Case. Weren't we just here like a month ago???
To follow up on the "Eight More Miles To Louisville" suggestion, Clarence White nails that on the Deliverance soundtrack, which in a previous incarnation was called New Dimensions In Banjo And Bluegrass.
LD, I agree Neko's is great.
Here's a live version of Neko Case singing "an Everly Brother's song about fluffy grass and ladies":
Neko Case – Bowling Green (Live)
(I still slightly prefer the Gosdin Brothers version to the original and Neko's).
Great Mix! As an adopted Kentuckian, I'm always on the lookout for odes to the bluegrass. One that hasn't been mentioned yet is Steve Earle's "Harlan Man." "The Mountain," off the same record, is great, too, although not specifically about KY.
And there's always Merle Haggard's "Good Ol' Boys", from the Dukes of Hazard, but we should probably let that one pass.
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