by Nathan Kanuch, Zackary Kephart & Julian Spivey When I heard that famed documentarian Ken Burns was putting together a definitive history of country music for an eight-part series on PBS I knew The Word had to compile a list of the 100 Greatest Country Songs of All-Time. I also knew that I wanted to collaborate on such a list with Zackary Kephart of The Musical Divide and Nathan Kanuch of Shore2Shore Country, whom I’ve worked with a few times on other collaborations. Methodology: When coming up with the idea to collaborate on a list of the 100 Greatest Country Songs of All-Time I asked Zackary Kephart of The Musical Divide and Nathan Kanuch of Shore2Shore Country to make up their own personal list of what they considered to be the 100 greatest country music songs of all-time. I had done the same. To get our definitive list I took songs that all three of us included on our lists and averaged those together. If a song was on all three lists, it automatically went to the top. So, if all three of us had a song ranked in the nineties on our list it could theoretically come out higher on the definitive list than a song that appeared very high on two lists but was left completely off the third (this did happen). Zack, Nathan and I were unanimous when it came to 32 songs. This is where the methodology is a bit imperfect, but it’s the closest I could figure to get a definitive list of the greatest country songs of all-time. If a song appeared on two out of the three lists, it would be averaged and slot in behind the 32 songs we all agreed should be in the top 100. There were 41 such songs. The remainder of the list (27 songs) features songs that only appeared on one of the three lists and to get the most accurate ranking for the definitive list it was a “highest remaining song comes first” system. 90. "Here in the Real World" by Alan Jackson (1990)“Here in the Real World,” co-written by Alan Jackson and Mark Irwin, was Jackson’s first career hit topping out at No. 3 on the charts in 1990 and I contend is the best song he’s ever recorded. It’s a fantastic crying fiddle weeper about how relationships in the real world just aren’t as easy as they’re portrayed on the silver screen. Following in the footsteps of Randy Travis, Jackson was one of the major factors of a new wave of neotraditionalists of the time and “Here in the Real World” showed he was a force to be reckoned with. JS 89. "Blue Moon of Kentucky" by Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys (1947)It’s hard to believe that just one recording session helped launch an entire subgenre of music. “Blue Moon Of Kentucky,” in a nutshell, is remembered most famously for being one of many factors to kickstart what we call “bluegrass,’ but it’s also emblematic of what makes pure bluegrass music so pristine – Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys’ high, lonesome vocal matched with an interweaving of beautiful banjo and mandolin picking along with the saw of the fiddle. Its influence is where it really makes its mark, but “Blue Moon Of Kentucky” is a beautiful song in its own right. ZK 88. "Wabash Cannonball" by Roy Acuff (1936)Many of country music’s earliest recordings were actually folk standards originating sometime in the 1800s, with “Wabash Cannonball” being one of them. In truth, the legacy of “Wabash Cannonball” is where the real conversation with this song takes place. The Carter Family recorded their version of it, but it was Roy Acuff who made it into a smash single in 1936, earning the attention of the Grand Ole Opry and becoming one of its most beloved members of all time. If anything, “Wabash Cannonball” is partly responsible for helping to bring country music into the mainstream, and Acuff will forever be remembered as one of its greatest pioneers. ZK 87. "Wagon Wheel" by Old Crow Medicine Show (2004)“Wagon Wheel” is a fascinating story of a song as it took more than a quarter century to complete. It began as a sketch of a song, really just a chorus, written by Bob Dylan in 1973. The song was given to Old Crow Medicine Show member Ketch Secor in the late ‘90s by fellow group member Critter Fuqua on a Dylan bootleg and Secor wrote a wonderful story of a hitchhiking journey down the Eastern Coastline around the chorus. You put the O.C.M.S. Americana bluegrass/folk feel to it and you have a modern classic. The song became a legend among the alt-country scene, but when cut by Darius Rucker in 2013 became a mainstream country smash. Today “Wagon Wheel” often causes both full-throated singalongs and groans, depending on whether or not you feel it’s been overplayed over the years. JS 86. "L.A. Freeway" by Guy Clark (1975)“If I could just get off of this L.A. Freeway without getting killed or caught...” Has there ever been a better open-ended, existential proposal given in a song than that? The analysis of “L.A. Freeway” deserves its own book, not just a few sentences. Is Guy Clark tired of the big-city life? Is he ready to chuck his musical dreams and return to Texas? Is he being optimistic or pessimistic? The song can be interpreted in such a wide variety of different ways. With mentions of his wife Susanna, “Skinny” Dennis Sanchez, and simpler times, Clark (as he always does) paints a vivid portrait and makes the listener think about every last detail. Oh, and the outro is one of the prettiest and most soothing pieces of music I can think of. NK 85. "Hungry Eyes" by Merle Haggard (1969)Merle Haggard’s music is complex and simple at the same time. Complex because it explores the human condition in a deeply psychological manner. Simple because Haggard was able to write about the complicated state of humanity in such a relatable and authentic way. At its heart, “Hungry Eyes” is about growing up in deep, true poverty. And yet dig below the surface, and you find the love of a family and the strength it takes to hold everyone together. “Hungry Eyes,” along with “Mama Tried,” is the best example of The Hag’s ability to combine his own life with the classic writer’s poetic license to create a poignant, specific vignette. NK 84. "Friends in Low Places" by Garth BrooksGarth Brooks’ “Friends in Low Places” has become the go-to country song for drunken karaoke nights and that could be a really good or bad thing depending on how you feel about that. The feel-good singalong about getting some comeuppance on an ex is one of those songs even non-country music fans will know and many will love. The song, co-written by Dewayne Blackwell and Earl Bud Lee, was made for Garth Brooks and helped to really make Garth Brooks. It’s a song that is just right for a larger than life figure. The song, released in 1990, became one of the biggest releases of the year and eventually of Brooks’ career winning Single of the Year at both the CMA and ACM Awards. JS 83. "The Pill" by Loretta Lynn (1975)Despite its reputation as a backward-thinking genre of music, country music has largely been at the forefront of social issues throughout its history. Though while the birth control pill had been on the market for nearly a decade before this song was recorded, I don’t think anyone quite expected a song like this. Loretta Lynn had already turned heads by asserting her dominance in a male-dominated world of its time (quickly changing gears, of course) through other songs, but “The Pill” addresses a social issue in the only way Lynn knows how – by saying what’s on her mind, consequences be damned. Country music, for decades, has always been better because of it. ZK 82. "Murder on Music Row" by Alan Jackson & George Strait (2000)Out of any song on this list, “Murder On Music Row” is the one that will inevitably make more than a few country fans smile as they pump their fist into the air. “Murder On Music Row” sways along at an easy tempo, but it resonates like an anthem. Originally recorded by the bluegrass group Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time and written by front man Larry Cordle and Larry Shell, most are familiar with the Alan Jackson and George Strait version of the song. It’s the protest song to end all protest songs, pointing a fair criticism of the genre’s stray from its roots in a timeless fashion. Obviously, though, the industry must not have quite understood the message, as while it charted without being an official single and nabbed a CMA Song Of The Year distinction, it’s a message that resonates louder today than when it first debuted. ZK 81. "Killin' Time" by Clint Black (1989)Few things in the history of country music have ever sounded better to my ears than the opening guitar licks of Clint Black’s “Killin’ Time.” The title track to Black’s 1989 debut album, co-written by Black and guitarist Hayden Nicholas, was one of a few tracks off the album that showed Black was a force to be reckoned with. The album, arguably the greatest debut in country music history, featured four straight No. 1 hits – but “Killin’ Time” featuring the tried and true country trope of drinking your lost love away is the most memorable. JS
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by Nathan Kanuch, Zackary Kephart & Julian Spivey When I heard that famed documentarian Ken Burns was putting together a definitive history of country music for an eight-part series on PBS I knew The Word had to compile a list of the 100 Greatest Country Songs of All-Time. I also knew that I wanted to collaborate on such a list with Zackary Kephart of The Musical Divide and Nathan Kanuch of Shore2Shore Country, whom I’ve worked with a few times on other collaborations. JS Methodology: When coming up with the idea to collaborate on a list of the 100 Greatest Country Songs of All-Time I asked Zackary Kephart of The Musical Divide and Nathan Kanuch of Shore2Shore Country to make up their own personal list of what they considered to be the 100 greatest country music songs of all-time. I had done the same. To get our definitive list I took songs that all three of us included on our lists and averaged those together. If a song was on all three lists, it automatically went to the top. So, if all three of us had a song ranked in the nineties on our list it could theoretically come out higher on the definitive list than a song that appeared very high on two lists but was left completely off the third (this did happen). Zack, Nathan and I were unanimous when it came to 32 songs. This is where the methodology is a bit imperfect, but it’s the closest I could figure to get a definitive list of the greatest country songs of all-time. If a song appeared on two out of the three lists, it would be averaged and slot in behind the 32 songs we all agreed should be in the top 100. There were 41 such songs. The remainder of the list (27 songs) features songs that only appeared on one of the three lists and to get the most accurate ranking for the definitive list it was a “highest remaining song comes first” system. 100. "Fancy" by Bobbie Gentry (1970) & Reba McEntire (1990)There’s a lot that could be said for how much creative juice was flowing in country music from the mid-‘80s to the early ‘90s, and some of that was happening behind the scenes. Producer Jimmy Bowen never felt Reba McEntire should record Bobbie Gentry’s “Fancy” because he felt too many people would associate it with her. When McEntire turned to Tony Brown for her 1990 Rumor Has It album, the song finally had another version that could go toe-to-toe with the original. In essence, “Fancy” was always a country song, draped in a story of real life that touches on a taboo subject with grace and dignity. And while the song has its quieter moments, it’s that thunderous chorus that gives this song its everlasting appeal. ZK 99. "Always on My Mind" by Willie Nelson (1982)“Always on My Mind” had a lot of life in it before Willie Nelson released it on his album of the same name in 1982. Written by Wayne Carson, Johnny Christopher and Mark James it was originally recorded by B.J. Thomas in 1970. Brenda Lee had a crossover hit with it in 1972. Elvis Presley released it as the B-side to his ’72 single “Separate Ways.” It’s Nelson’s version I consider to be the definitive release. Nelson’s performance would garner three Grammy Awards, including the coveted Song of the Year for its writers and somehow due to wonky rules of the time it would win Song of the Year in back-to-back years (1982 & 1983) at the Country Music Association (CMA) Awards. Nelson’s beautiful piano ballad version with his trademark nasally vocals just makes the hurt of his apology to an inadequately adored lover hit you in the feels. JS 98. "Hickory Wind" by The Byrds (1968)In his short lifetime, Gram Parsons lived as the misunderstood kid wearing Nudie suits in Nashville. An unfortunate sign of the times, Parsons’ long hair and hippie attitude wasn’t quite ready to be accepted just yet, and “Hickory Wind” is a loose representation of that. For one, it’s the lone song on the Byrds’ landmark Sweetheart of the Rodeo album where he sang lead, and to hear him sing of such a lonely, desolate childhood pines with an ache that rivals any other country song. ZK 97. "Good Hearted Woman" by Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson (1975)There was never a better collaborative duo in the history of country music than good friends Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. One of their most memorable recordings together was their co-write “Good Hearted Woman,” originally recorded and released solo by Jennings in 1971, before the duet version was released on the iconic 1975 album Wanted: The Outlaws!. Reportedly inspired by a concert advertisement promoting Ike and Tina Turner with the line, “a good hearted woman loving two-timing men.” The rest was history and the song became an anthem for country music outlaws who left their good hearted women at home while out on the road. JS 96. "I've Been Everywhere" by Hank Snow (1962)Hank Snow delivered the essential version of this Geoff Mack-penned song. Listing off the names of the cities the narrator has visited, “I’ve Been Everywhere” could be classified as a novelty song without resorting to over-the-top humor or typical road-weary tropes. I’m still amazed at artists who are able to perform the song live and remember each town. NK 95. "Honky Tonk Heroes" by Waylon Jennings (1973)A lot of critics (especially those overtly hostile to newer “Outlaw” artists who care about the genre’s roots) will often try to argue that Outlaw country music of the ‘70s had no distinct sound. They’re wrong. And if someone wants to find that landmark Outlaw sound, he or she has no better place to start than Waylon Jennings’ 1973 album Honky Tonk Heroes, and more specifically, the title track, written by Billy Joe Shaver. It’s rockabilly, but it’s not. It’s Hank Sr. influenced Country & Western, but it’s not entirely. Much like Alt-Country acts of the ‘90s found influence from both punk rock and folk and bluegrass, “Honky Tonk Heroes” and Outlaw country music draw from Rolling Stones-esque rock and roll and the traditional country of the Deep South. A driving backbeat. An outlaw attitude. Road-weary and defiant. More often than not, that’s the Outlaw sound. NK 94. "If We Make It Through December" by Merle Haggard (1973)Merle Haggard’s “If We Make It Through December” is the greatest non-traditional Christmas song of all-time. It also shows that not all great holiday classics have to be all fun and cheer because the holidays aren’t always happy for everybody. Being the poet of the working man, Haggard set down with the idea of writing a Christmas song about a laid off blue collar worker out of work during the holiday season and the despair of not being able to provide Christmas cheer for his little girl. It’s heartbreaking, but it’s absolutely real. JS 93. "Man in Black" by Johnny Cash (1971)“Man in Black” was essentially Johnny Cash’s theme song. It represented what he stood for and told the story of why his wardrobe was the way it was. It became one of the greatest, if not the absolute greatest, protest songs in country music history – taking on topics such as the treatment of poor folks, mass incarceration, the Vietnam War and more. “Man in Black” is just a reminder that Cash was a man of the people – all the people – and he was never going to back down from what he believed. JS 92. "Would You Lay with Me (In a Field of Stone)" by Tanya Tucker (1973)Tanya Tucker took this David Allan Coe-penned song and had a massive hit with it - cementing the song as a country standard. Much like a lot of her earlier material, ‘Would You Lay with Me’ was a song expected to be heard from a much more mature artist. But Tucker’s voice transcended age. ‘Would You Lay with Me’ rose above a simple song and truly asked questions about love that goes on forever and through the hardest of times. NK 91. "The Window Up Above" by George Jones (1960)There’s so much to unpack here. The reminder that George Jones not only is the greatest singer the music world has ever heard but that he can also write a hell of a song. The progression of the Possum’s distinct phrasing and ability to hold on to such a wide variety of notes. The heartbreaking story that brings a listener right to the bedside of the narrator to witness the events play out. The brooding anger and sorrow Jones brings right to the listener’s ears. Jones himself called “The Window Up Above” his favorite recording, and though I may put two or three others above it, who am I to argue with George Jones? NK by Julian Spivey Brandi Carlile and John Prine were the biggest winners at the 2019 Americana Honors & Awards on Wednesday, Sept. 11 from the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. The awards were also streamed lived on NPRmusic.org. Carlile took home her first Artist of the Year award after a busy last couple of years that saw her album By the Way, I Forgive You nominated for numerous awards, including Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards and the formation of an all-female supergroup The Highwomen, with Amanda Shires, Maren Morris and Natalie Hamby, which released its debut album last week. Prine was the only multiple-time winner of the evening taking home two of the night’s most coveted awards in Album of the Year for last year’s The Tree of Forgiveness produced by Dave Cobb (who produced three of the four nominees in the category) and Song of the Year for “Summer’s End,” which he shared with co-writer Pat McLaughlin. Following are my five biggest takeaways for this year’s Americana Awards & Honors: Production: For at least five years running the Americana Awards & Honors have been live streamed on NPR’s website with very little trouble as far as connectivity or production issues. I guess that’s a good run of success, but when it comes to the only way to watch the event that doesn’t involve purchase the limited number of tickets and comes to the website’s most viewed live musical event of the year any major hiccups are going to be annoying. The biggest mistake production or technological-wise during the evening was the live stream not kicking in on time and viewers completely missing the first performance of the evening by Duo/Group of the Year nominees Our Native Daughters and part of the opening monologue by hosts The Milk Carton Kids, who returned to host for the second straight year. At other times throughout the telecast there were issues with recording that resulted in Rhiannon Giddens performing the traditional “Wayfaring Stranger” twice – not a big complaint, but the show does always run long – mics seemingly not being turned on when necessary, especially during the ending all star performance of the gospel standard “I’ll Fly Away” in which both Elvis Costello and Brandi Carlile seemingly didn’t have properly working mics and just poor sound quality at times throughout the show, especially during the evening’s most rocking number on Costello’s “Blame It On Cain.” When I watch other musical award shows like the Grammys or CMA Awards I long for the terrific music of the Americana Awards, but on this night I also longed for the Americana Awards to have the production of any of the many award shows that are televised. Diversity: For many years there has been criticism that the genre of Americana wasn’t diverse enough, especially when it came to the nominations for the Americana Awards. This year’s celebration was easily the most diverse I’ve ever seen when it comes to both women and minority nominees and performances. In fact, the majority of both categories on Wednesday night were women or minority or both. In my opinion, the performances on the Americana Awards always shine no matter who’s performing or nominated, because in my opinion the genre is fairly flawless when it comes to talent, but it was certainly nice to see new faces on the evening and more open-mindedness from voters. The performances from acts like The War and Treaty, Yola, I’m With Her, Amanda Shires, Lori McKenna, and more were fascinating, if not downright jaw-dropping in the moments that The War and Treaty and Yola graced the stage. It was a good night for the genre of Americana in taking some needed steps forward. Brandi Carlile: Before she released By the Way, I Forgive You early last year I really wasn’t that familiar with Brandi Carlile’s body of work – but since that released I haven’t been able to get enough of her incredible songwriting and vocals. Her album wasn’t eligible for this year, having been nominated last year (and somewhat controversially losing out to Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit’s The Nashville Sound, though I thought that was the correct choice), but I was thrilled to see her take home the much deserved Artist of the Year honor. More importantly I was thrilled to have another opportunity to see her perform live and this time she did my favorite song “The Mother” from her latest album, which I had ranked as the best song of 2018 on this website’s year-end list. John Prine: John Prine was my preferred choice to win both Album of the Year for 2018’s The Tree of Forgiveness and Song of the Year, along with co-writer Pat McLaughlin, for “Summer’s End” so I was thrilled to see it happen. It was also not surprising at all to see, as the voting body clearly loves and respects his entire body or work. Prine is essentially considered The Godfather of Americana music. In what was my very favorite performance of the evening, Prine, recently returned from illness, was joined on the Ryman stage with the equally as iconic Bonnie Raitt to perform their shared classic “Angel From Montgomery,” which Prine wrote. It was magical. Elvis Costello: One of the things I was most looking forward to for this year’s Americana Awards & Honors was the honoring of Elvis Costello for Lifetime Achievement in Songwriting. Costello is one of my many songwriting heroes and was a terrific choice as honoree this year. Costello was introduced brilliantly by longtime friend and producer T-Bone Burnett, before giving an entertaining acceptance speech that for some reason got awful smoky in the room (which Costello made reference to but was never explained). Costello then took the stage for a few verses of “Red Cotton” from his 2009 Americana/folk album Secret, Profane & Sugarcane, before launching into a rocking performance of “Blame It On Cain,” from his 1977 debut My Aim Is True. As previously mentioned, the sound was bad for the performance of ‘Cain’ and it was a surprising song choice for Costello anyway, but anytime he’s being honored for his excellence in songwriting it’s going to be one of the big moments of the night for me. Awards: Artist of the Year: Brandi Carlile Album of the Year: The Tree of Forgiveness, John Prine Song of the Year: “Summer’s End,” John Prine Duo/Group of the Year: I’m With Her Emerging Artist of the Year: The War and Treaty Instrumentalist of the Year: Chris Eldridge Honors: Lifetime Achievement in Songwriting: Elvis Costello Lifetime Achievement in Performance: Delbert McClinton Legacy of Americana Award: Frank Johnson & Rhiannon Giddens Trailblazer Award: Maria Muldaur Inspiration Award: Mavis Staples President’s Award: Felice & Boudleaux Bryant PBS Highlights Upcoming Ken Burns 'Country Music' Documentary with Star-Studded Concert Special9/9/2019 by Julian Spivey Ken Burns’ upcoming eight-part PBS documentary “Country Music” about the illustrious history of one of America’s oldest and most beloved musical artforms premieres on Sunday, Sept. 15, but in celebration of the event PBS aired a two-hour concert event “Country Music: Live at the Ryman” on Sunday, Sept. 8. The event was hosted by Burns himself and featured numerous performances from many country music icons going through the genre’s greatest and most important hits. The concert, which was recorded on March 27, 2019 at the “Mother Church of Country Music” the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, was essentially a cliff notes version of what the “Country Music” series will be – including snippets from the upcoming documentary, which I intentionally fast-forwarded through on Sunday night so as not to be spoiled at all from the main event. The concert began with Rhiannon Giddens and Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show giving a fantastic performance of “Ruby Are You Mad at Your Man,” showcasing the importance of the fiddle (played by Secor) and banjo (played by Giddens) in creating this new artform of music known as country music. Secor would remain on stage to perform “In the Jailhouse Now,” made popular by perhaps country music’s first big star “The Singing Brakeman” Jimmie Rodgers. Giddens would return later during the concert for one of the most absolutely stunning covers of Patsy Cline’s iconic “Crazy” that you’ll ever here. One of the early aspects of country music that has never really caught my attention much is that of the singing cowboys like Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. This aspect of the genre was featured in the concert with Riders in the Sky performing “Tumbling Tumbleweeds.” The era of Western Swing, essentially created by Bob Wills, was highlighted by Asleep at the Wheel, a group that’s basically made a career out of performing Wills’ style of music, performing “San Antonio Rose.” The special then highlighted bluegrass, basically created by Bill Monroe with the help of Lester Flatts and Earl Scruggs, with Ricky Skaggs, Marty Stuart and Vince Gill ripping through a performance of “Uncle Pen.” Gill served as the lead guitarist and essentially band leader for the backing band throughout the entire concert and did so perfectly – it seems there’s nothing he can’t perform. Gill would also get the starring role covering Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” later during the show. One of the most incredible moments of the evening was when Holly Williams took the stage to pay tribute to the grandfather she never knew, Hank Williams, with a gorgeous performance of “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” which could potentially be the greatest country song ever written and recorded. The rockabilly era of Sun Records with Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash was highlighted by Marty Stuart alone on stage with just a mandolin doing an incredible performance of the classic “Orange Blossom Special,” which Cash often ended his live shows with. The Bakersfield Sound era was, of course, Dwight Yoakam’s time to shine as he performed a lovely version of Merle Haggard’s “Mama’s Hungry Eyes” and was joined by Dierks Bentley, the only modern mainstream artist who appeared on the entire special, to take on Buck Owens’ part of “Streets of Bakersfield.” Later in the show came the two worst performances of the concert special. Larry Gatlin was tasked with paying tribute to Kris Kristofferson, possibly the greatest songwriter the genre has ever had, by performing “Sunday Morning Coming Down.” Gatlin’s take on the song had none of the grit the song needs and was too croony for my taste. When it came time to take on the Outlaw era of the ‘70s, Bentley was tasked with covering the great Waylon Jennings classic “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way?” and his version had absolutely no life in it whatsoever. Kathy Mattea’s cover of Loretta Lynn’s classic “Coal Miner’s Daughter” was flawless, as was Rodney Crowell’s take on the Townes Van Zandt-penned story song “Pancho & Lefty.” One of the loveliest moments of the evening was Rosanne Cash’s tribute to her father Johnny Cash by performing one of his most underrated gems “I Still Miss Someone.” And, one of the liveliest performances of the evening was Ricky Skaggs doing “Don’t Get Above Your Raising.” The star-studded tribute to the history of country music was concluded with everybody who had appeared on the entire special that evening taking the stage an all-star performance of the essential Carter Family anthem “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?” 100 Greatest Country Songs of All-Time Announcement!
The Word is excited to announce a collaboration with The Musical Divide’s Zackary Kephart and Shore2Shore Country’s Nathan Kanuch of the 100 Greatest Country Songs of All-Time, which we will publish in unison with Ken Burns’ PBS documentary on the history of the genre. The first part of this series will debut on Sunday, Sept. 15 the same day the “Country Music” documentary series premieres. by Julian Spivey Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit brought a fantastic night of Americana and rock music to the Levitt Shell amphitheater at Overton Park in Memphis, Tenn. on Friday, September 6. The Levitt Shell, best known as the venue of Elvis Presley’s first paid gig in 1954, puts on 50 free shows annually and uses a few paid events throughout the year to fund those events. Friday night’s show was one of the benefits shows to help pay for the others. The venue packed around 4,000 concertgoers (it was marked as sold out) in on Friday for a night of fantastic music feature Isbell, a multiple-time Grammy Award and Americana Award winner, and his excellent backing band the 400 unit featuring the incredibly talented Sadler Vaden on guitar, Jimbo Hart on bass, Chad Gamble on drums and Derry deBorja on keys and accordion. Isbell, a 40-year old out of Green Hill, Ala., opened his show on Friday night with the rocking “Go It Alone,” from his 2011 album Here We Rest, that will soon be re-released after being remastered by producer Dave Cobb. The sound was a bit off for this first performance, but luckily the soundboard guys got it fixed immediately. Isbell & the 400 Unit would launch into “Hope the High Road,” my personal favorite off their most recent release The Nashville Sound in 2017, and it seemed to be one of many fan-favorites on the night. The performance would lead directly into “24 Frames,” one of the finest tracks off of 2015’s Something More Than Free that won Best American Roots Song at the 2016 Grammys. Isbell and the entire band seemed to be in a terrific mood on Friday night despite the incredibly sweltering and sweaty conditions outdoors in Memphis. The band could be seen smiling at each other often and even poking a bit of fun with each other both between and during performances. Early on during the show on Friday night Isbell performed a new, not yet released song called “Overseas,” that sounded really good live and I can’t wait to hear on an album (hopefully next year?) to really make out some of the lyrics that were hard to here live on a first listen. Isbell did a very good job at spreading songs equally from most of his albums throughout his 17-song set. His 2013 release Southeastern, in which he really broke out big as a solo artist, featured five songs in the set – the most from any one of his albums on the night. The first of these was “Live Oak,” the ballad of an outlaw who takes the life of a lover, which thrilled the jam-packed crowd. He would also include the rockers “Super 8” and “Flying Over Water” from the album, both seemingly having become staples of his live show. Isbell would dedicate “Cover Me Up” to his wife Amanda Shires, who occasionally performs with the 400 Unit when not working on her own, excelling musical career. On this night she was with her new supergroup The Highwomen, who just released their critically-acclaimed debut album on Friday. “Cover Me Up” always knocks out the audience with Isbell’s incredible vocals – maybe the best of any song he’s recorded. My favorite performance on from Southeastern on Friday night was “Stockholm,” the underrated love song on the album when compared to “Cover Me Up.” It’s flawless, as well. In addition to “Hope the High Road,” Isbell would also perform “White Man’s World” and the Grammy-winning “If We Were Vampires” from The Nashville Sound. If any of Isbell’s string of successful recent albums got the short end of the shift on Friday night it was definitely 2015’s Something More Than Free, which only saw “24 Frames” performed from its excellent track list. I was thrilled to see multiple performances from Isbell’s underrated Here We Rest album, including my favorite song of his “Alabama Pines,” which won Song of the Year at the 2012 Americana Awards. The concert took place one day before my birthday, so I considered this to be an early gift to me, as it’s not always a song Isbell performs live. The band would also perform “Tour of Duty,” another of my favorites from that album, which was my first introduction to Isbell’s work. One performance I was hoping to hear and certainly wasn’t let down by was when Isbell performed “Maybe It’s Time,” which Bradley Cooper’s character of Jackson Maine performed in the 2018 Oscar-nominated film “A Star Is Born.” The duet of “Shallow” between Cooper and Lady Gaga from the film became the hit, but it’s “Maybe It’s Time” that was my favorite off that soundtrack and I truly believe Isbell should’ve at least been nominated for Best Original Song at this past year’s Academy Awards. Isbell almost always brings out an old rocker from his days with the amazing Southern Rock group Drive-By Truckers and on Friday at the Shell he ended his main set with “Never Gonna Change,” which appeared on the Truckers’ 2004 release The Dirty South. The epic live performance featured a great guitar duel between Isbell and Vaden, two of the most exciting and underrated guitarists to watch live. Isbell & the 400 Unit would return for a great two-song encored kicked off by “Last of My Kind,” off The Nashville Sound, before ending with an incredible cover of the early blues-rock version of Fleetwood Mac’s 1969 song “Oh Well.” Isbell & the 400 Unit are the ultimate Americana act and prove exactly why with their amazing live shows that I can’t recommend enough. This was my fifth Isbell & the 400 Unit show – and third as a headliner – and they just seem to get better every single time I see them. by Julian Spivey Weird Al Yankovic, the most successful musical comedian and parodist of all-time, brought his Strings Attached Tour to Verizon Arena in North Little Rock, Ark. on Sunday, September 1 for a night of many laughs and great fun. It’s almost hard to believe, but Weird Al has been poking fun at the biggest hits in the world of pop music for almost 40 years now, has outlived the careers of nearly every artist whose music he has parodied and is as good as he’s ever been at the age of 59. In fact, his most recent album 2015’s Mandatory Fun won him a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album. Weird Al Yankovic has long been a pop culture phenomenon and all you’d need is to hear the eruption in roars from the packed Verizon Arena crowd on Sunday night to realize that Weird Al is King of the Nerds. You don’t have to be a Weird Al superfan to enjoy one of his shows – though for those who are it truly seems like one of life’s greatest achievements – all you have to have is a good sense of humor and an attitude to have fun. If you can’t have at least a little fun at a Weird Al show I suggest having your funny bone tested. I’ve always enjoyed his work, but have never considered myself to be a superfan, but I enjoyed the hell out of Sunday’s show. The Strings Attached Tour features Weird Al backed by his normal touring band, as well as a 40-plus piece orchestra. Much like I felt when I saw The Who perform with an orchestra earlier this summer in the suburbs of Chicago, I didn’t really feel the orchestra added too much to the show. There’s just a lot going on onstage to really focus on all the strings and horns. The orchestra was incredibly talented and also served as the opening act performing a trio of John Williams movie scores from “Star Wars,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Superman,” as well as Lalo Schifrin’s “Mission: Impossible” theme. All in all, I could’ve done without this segment and gone straight into the main event. Weird Al opened his set, sort of interestingly, with a quick medley of “I Lost on Jeopardy,” “I Love Rocky Road” and “Like a Surgeon,” which may have played better later in the show or definitely would’ve been more enjoyable had he performed all of each song. One thing that novice Weird Al fans may not realize is that he doesn’t just parody songs, but also parodies song styles or band styles. He’s more known for his song parodies because they’re easier to spot and sing along with, but some of his style parodies are just as fun and entertaining as the song parodies and one such of these is “The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota,” which pokes fun at the styles of artists like Gordon Lightfoot and Cat Stevens and just tells the funny tale of a family trip to see the titular ball of twine. The first great moment of Weird Al’s show on Sunday night was his performance of “Word Crimes,” a parody of Robin Thicke’s 2013 smash “Blurred Lines,” which is a delight for writers like me as it nitpicks on bad grammar. Another great moment from early on in the show was “Jurassic Park,” a terrific parody of the 1968 Richard Harris hit “MacArthur Park,” which was accompanied by images from Weird Al’s music video for the song. This was the one performance where you could really see the emphasis on the orchestra backing Yankovic up. Yankovic was able to fit some fan-favorites like “Weasel Stomping Day” and “Harvey the Wonder Hamster” into the set, before launching into another of his more recent parodies, “Tacky,” a take on Pharrell Williams’ 2014 smash hit “Happy,” which appeared on Mandatory Fun. It was the last segment of Weird Al’s show on Sunday that truly gave everyone in attendance their money’s worth – this was essentially the “greatest hits” portion of his show that featured costume changes and everything. In between songs during this portion of the show while Yankovic and the band changed into their different outfits snippets of Weird Al’s many pop culture moments were shown on the giant screen behind the stage, like clips from his 1989 movie “UHF” and appearances on “The Simpsons” and such. It was a very entertaining way to keep the crowd’s attention in between performances. This portion of the show began with one of my favorite Weird Al parodies “Smells Like Nirvana,” his take on the iconic 1991 Nirvana breakthrough hit “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” The band would then perform a DEVO inspired “Dare to Be Stupid,” which has essentially become Weird Al’s theme song throughout his career. My absolute favorite performances of the night were the back-to-back performances of “Amish Paradise,” his parody of Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise” and “White & Nerdy,” a parody of Chamillionaire’s 2005 hit “Ridin’.” I think these two parodies are perhaps the funniest Weird Al has ever written in his long and legendary career of making folks laugh. The encore of the show took on a “Stars Wars” theme beginning with “The Saga Begins,” essentially a funny summary of “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace” to the tune of Don McLean’s epic “American Pie.” Yankovic then broke out his iconic accordion, surprisingly for the only time all night (I would’ve thought he’d use it more), for the show-stopping “Yoda,” a parody of The Kinks’ “Lola,” which broke out into a crowd sing-along. Weird Al’s Strings Attached show on Sunday night was simply a ton of fun and I highly recommend seeking out one of his shows if he’s ever in your neck of the woods – you will have so much fun you’ll want to stomp the next weasel you see. |
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