So, there I was, a couple of weeks ago, exchanging emails with a new friend who lives in California, and who’s spent quite a bit of time in Bakersfield. (Note to self: Food. Sounds Awesome!)
I think he assumed that–Brit that I am–I’d be unfamiliar with the city.
But. No. He misunderestimated me. Hugely.
TBC, and like Garth Brooks (nothing much to do with Bakersfield, although–at least in the beginning, he got the vibe, and he’s performed several times there, and that’s where he proposed to his current wife) I’ve got plenty of friends in low places:
And many of them have, over the years, imbued me with a love of honky-tonk, traditional, not over-produced, country music. Buck Owens. Merle Haggard. More obscurely, Bud Hobbs. Extending through Dwight Yoakum and Emmylou Harris–one of the very few contemporary performers I’ve bestirred myself to go and see perform live (I had tickets to go see Merle Haggard in Wheeling, WV, but he up-and-died on me before the show)–and a number of others.
Here’s a selection:
Is this a great country, or what? I think so.
You might want to go search out some more of this music. I think you’ll be glad if you do.
OK, I simply must share this with you. You mentioned Merl Haggard. Well, there’s this guy on Youtube who has noticed the similarities in tempo, chord progression, and keys between songs of very widely divergent musical genres. So he will blend them together in rather unexpected ways. Often these are absurd and hilarious, but sometimes the blends he does are improvements – taking weak backing away from strong lyrics and creating blends that you’d swear are authentic. Here is one such that is honestly quite good, taking away some of the overly earnest hard rock of a late 70s hit and giving it to Haggard to make it an entirely different song:
https://youtu.be/JLj3P7UMk4w
And this crossover between Michael Jackson and Ted Nugent likewise highlights the strengths of both.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_SaCZbENZk
This one, however, I love for the ridiculous juxtaposition.
I love these! Thanks so much.
Nice Post 🤠