Archives for category: Uncategorized

Dolly Partners with Sony Masterworks

December 10, 2013 //

SONY MASTERWORKS TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM BY
COUNTRY MUSIC ICON DOLLY PARTON

BLUE SMOKE WILL BE RELEASED INTERNATIONALLY
IN CONJUNCTION WITH WORLDWIDE TOUR

NEW YORK, NY (December 9, 2013) – Iconic singer, songwriter, musician, actress and philanthropist Dolly Parton is proud to announce her latest recording endeavor, a partnership between her own label Dolly Records and Sony Masterworks. The label deal will launch her new album Blue Smoke in New Zealand/Australia on January 31, 2014, to coincide with her international Blue Smoke World Tour which will hit New Zealand, Australia in February. In addition, Blue Smoke will be released in the United States and Europe in May 2014, in advance of the Blue Smoke World Tour hitting England, Ireland, Scotland, Denmark, Germany, Norway and Sweden.

“We at Masterworks think that Blue Smoke sits with Dolly Parton’s very best recorded work, as global audiences will discover when she begins her world tour in January 2014. We’re very happy to be associated with this great American music artist,” says Bogdan Roscic, President of Sony Masterworks.

photo courtesy Webster & Associates

Dolly is the most honored female country performer of all time. Achieving 25 RIAA certified gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards, she has had 25 songs reach number 1 on the Billboard Country charts, a record for a female artist. She has 41 career top 10 country albums, a record for any artist, and she has 110 career charted singles over the past 40 years. All-inclusive sales of singles, albums, hits collections, paid digital downloads and compilation usage during her Hall of Fame career have reportedly topped a staggering 100 million records worldwide. She has garnered 7 Grammy Awards, 10 Country Music Association Awards, 5 Academy of Country Music Awards, 3 American Music Awards and is one of only five female artists to win the Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year Award.

As a zenith crown to the dreams of country music that originally brought her to Nashville, Dolly was inducted as a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999. And the litany goes on.

Dolly’s career has spanned nearly five decades and is showing no signs of slowing down. An internationally-renowned superstar, the iconic and irrepressible Parton has contributed countless treasures to the worlds of music, film and television. Some of her hit films have included Nine to Five, Steel Magnolias, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and Rhinestone. Parton received two Oscar® nominations – one for writing the title tune to Nine to Five and the other for Travelin’ Thru from the film Transamerica.

Tags Dolly Parton, Dolly Records, Sony Masterworks

Categories Country Music, Country Music Hall of Fame, Country Radio, Dolly Parton, Music City, Nashville, Uncategorized

Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton Third Time Lucky

December 9, 2013 //

KENNY ROGERS & DOLLY PARTON NOMINATED
FOR THE THIRD TIME TOGETHER
AT THIS YEAR’S GRAMMY AWARDS

photo courtesy KRDP

“You Can’t Make Old Friends” Nominated
For Best Country Duo/Group Performance

NASHVILLE, Tenn (December 9, 2013) – Is the third time a charm for Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton? Kenny & Dolly received their third joint Grammy nomination on Friday night, December 6th for “You Can’t Make Old Friends” for Best Country Duo/Group Performance. The song is featured on Rogers’ latest Warner Bros. album of the same name.The nomination is the third for Kenny & Dolly as a duo. They were previously nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group in 1984 for “Islands In The Stream,” and then again in 1986 for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group for “Real Love.”

Kenny Rogers, the newest member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, and recent recipient of the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s CMA Awards had this to say about the nomination: “I’m excited and very flattered about this opportunity and am convinced I should work with Dolly more often if we’re getting these kinds of results,” remarked Rogers.

Country Music Hall of Fame member Dolly Parton added, “I was so excited and proud to hear that the Grammys have nominated Kenny and I for Best Country Duo/Group Performance on ‘You Can’t Make Old Friends.’ I am also very proud to hear that ‘Jolene’ made the Grammy’s Hall of Fame. Thank you everyone!”

“You Can’t Make Old Friends” and the 30-year friendship between the two Grammy Award winners is showcased in Kenny & Dolly: An Intimate Conversation, which premieres tonight (Monday, December 9) at 9:00 p.m./ET on Great American Country. In a relaxed setting, the two stars chat about memories they’ve shared over the years and the chemistry they share that has led to one of the most enduring partnerships in popular music.

Categories Country Music, Country Radio, Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, Music, Music City, Nashville, Uncategorized

Bluegrass Reunion Taping Two Years In The Making

December 2, 2013 //

Interviews with Dierks Bentley, Ricky Skaggs and many more –

Dierks Bentley during Simply Bluegrass taping, photo courtesy Phil Johnson (c) 2013

Larry Black gathered some of the most well-known names in Bluegrass Music to record live for the Gabriel Communications’ series Country’s Family Reunion to be titled Simply Bluegrass featuring Ricky Skaggs and Bill Anderson as co-hosts with musical guests that have spanned decades.

Larry Black, Ricky Skaggs & Bill Anderson at Simply Bluegrass taping, photo – Brad Hardisty

Ricky Skaggs explained that it took over two years to put this together. Larry Black added, “Well, it took two years to get Ricky convinced to do it.” Ricky, after a quick laugh explained, “It took two years to where I could get my schedule to where I could do it. But, you know we started talkin’ about doin’ this a couple of years ago. We started trying to plug in bands and people and availabilities and that kind of thing and I am so glad we did.”

Rhonda Vincent, photo courtesy Phil Johnson (c) 2013

Lee Gibson of The Gibson Brothers shared, “It’s a bit surreal to sit there and I’m sitting so close to Ramona Jones who since I was a young boy before I became musical at all, was a part of our entertainment and our life on Hee Haw or when I watched any kind of Country Music Awards Show you would see Grandpa [Jones] and Ramona. I never thought I would be in the same room let alone standing there and singing a song in front of her.”

Sierra Hull at Simply Bluegrass, photo – Brad Hardisty

Ricky Skaggs working with Larry Black put an incredible roster together that included everybody from Ramona Jones and Del McCoury to Sierra Hull who has put out two great albums under the guidance and production of Alison Krauss.

Sam Bush, photo courtesy Phil Johnson (c) 2013

Sam Bush known as part of the Newgrass movement beginning in the late 60’s – early 70’s said, “Well, for starters, we are fans of each other so I have already got to hear The Gibson Brothers. I have already got to hear Rhonda Vincent and at first I thought you had to have an AARP card to get in here but then fortunately, Sierra Hull showed up. I have been influenced by a lot of people in this room. I used to see The Osborne Brothers on television. The Osborne Brothers were really, really, so progressive in their day. They are overlooked. Obviously, I was influenced by Doyle Lawson. I was influenced by Ricky Skaggs to want to learn to play the mandolin because he started before I did. He is two years younger than me and I started to see him on local Bowling Green, Kentucky TV. Ricky Skaggs sat in with Flatt and Scruggs on their television show. So, when I saw this kid playing the mandolin I thought this was the greatest thing I had ever seen and I wanted to do it too. It’s nice that many are contemporaries and we get to play on the same gigs and stuff. So, that’s one of the nice things about it. We play a lot of festivals but, we get to “horse around” more today.”

The Whites at Simply Bluegrass, photo – Brad Hardisty

Sharon White, who is Ricky Skaggs’ better half and a long time member of The Whites said, “Well, we started out playing acoustic music, playing bluegrass music and I mean we still do a lot of concerts that are considered bluegrass concerts and we love these people. I think my favorite part about being here today is that I am a big fan of everyone in the room plus some of these men like Bobby Osborne and Jesse McReynolds, Del McCoury and Mac Wiseman are legends and to hear their stories and to be part of this day it is just a real blessing. You know it really just feels like a family. We love each other. We are fans of each other. It’s a great thing,” Sharon than added, “When I got here and everyone was seated, I told Larry Black, you can really tell this is a Bluegrass family reunion. Everybody is holdin’ their mandolin or guitar and everybody has their instrument because that such a part of being in Bluegrass.”

Ricky Skaggs, photo courtesy Phil Johnson (c) 2013

Ricky Skaggs felt the best way to understand Bluegrass Music is to play it. Ricky said, “You really just got to play it. You know you can study it all day long but until you get your hands on it, it’s like a farmer; until he gets his hands in the dirt, he’s never going to know about farming!”

Jerry Douglas says that his most favorite part of being one of the world’s greatest Dobro players is the performance and getting out on the road. Jerry said, “I like playing live. You can’t take it back. In the studio, nowadays especially, it’s so easy to make something perfect and the idea as musicians is to make something as perfect as possible in the moment and I was good at it and learned a lot from it.”

Jerry Douglas ay Simply Bluegrass, photo courtesy Phil Johnson (c) 2013

Jerry Douglas reminisced about how the live aspect used to be when Music Row was really Music Row in Nashville when he said, “I can remember walking down Music Row when there was snow. When Nashville used to get snow, remember that? I’d park my car at one studio and walk to two or three sessions back then.”

Doyle Lawson at Simply Bluegrass, Nashville, TN, photo – Brad Hardisty

Dierks Bentley was probably the most mainstream current Country Artist in the room and he shared when he first really got an interest in Bluegrass Music saying, “I moved here to do country music when I was nineteen but, that same year I walked into a little bar called The Station Inn here in Nashville and my life kind of changed forever. I saw a band there called The Sidemen made up of different guys from The Del McCoury Band and The Osborne Brothers. It was a really special night that changed my life for me and I’ve been a big Bluegrass fan ever since.”

Dierks Bentley at Simply Grass, photo – Brad Hardisty

For Dierks it was a real community feeling that won him over and he said, “The authenticity of the music, real and honest, not just the music part but also the Bluegrass community is such a great community of folks: a real place to call home for a kid from Arizona. The whole community just took me in and I found myself at pickin’ parties and weddings and just a lot of cool, cool, things. It gave me a musical foundation. Terry Eldridge who sings with the band The Grascals was my mentor. I paid five dollars for my Tuesday night door fee cover charge to get in and hear The Sidemen play so those were my lessons: listenin’ to Terry and Ronnie McCoury who is up there on mandolin a lot. It really was a bluegrass education sitting there and listening to those guys play.”

The Grascals at Simply Bluegrass taping, photo – Brad Hardisty

Dierks would eventually get his guitar out and learn some licks saying, “I went to a lot of picking parties. I would bring my Martin in my truck and it would stay in the case in the truck. I would be too nervous to get it out. I never wanted to get the guitar out of the back of my truck. But, eventually I would get enough nerve to pull it out and play but, it’s never ending, even tonight just playing is just nerve racking playing in front of that audience. It’s pretty cool to be a fly on the wall and just hang out and hear them tell stories just off the top of their head like they are just hanging out in their living room.”

Bobby Osborne at Simply Bluegrass, Nashville, TN, photo courtesy Phil Johnson (c) 2013

Bobby Osborne will be marking 50 years as a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 2014 and shared how he and his brother decided to record “Rocky Top” which became a hit in 1967 and is the official song of University of Tennessee and of eight official songs of the state of Tennessee. Bobby was grateful to be a part of such a special historic taping and he said, “I have always been interested in the history of Bluegrass and Country music for that matter, you know, because I have always listened to Country and Bluegrass songs also. I’m very happy to be a part of this today. A lot of us are happy to be here today. We don’t get a chance to get together that often, you know, like we are today so, it’s really nice to be here and I am enjoying it very much. It’s really interesting to hear the stories that all of us have gathered in our minds through the years. It really is.”

Reno and Mac Wiseman at Simply Bluegrass, photo courtesy Gabriel Communications

Ricky Skaggs noted how spontaneous Bluegrass music is when he said, “This music is very organic. It changes every night. You never know what’s going to come. You never play a solo the same way twice. That’s what makes it fun. Every time Country loses its way and gets so far away from the center from what it should be then bluegrass music goes straight to the top because that is the alternative. That’s the real Country. Those were the records that we fell in love with and we learned as young kids and we loved those little “hickies” in a record that wasn’t perfect and we would make the same mistakes. You know, like Beatles fans will play the same mistakes and go to the wrong chord in the wrong place, where George or John might have played somethin’ totally different and these crazy Beatles groups like 1964 … the tribute bands. They will make the same mistakes just to keep the records right just because they love it, you know.”

Rhonda Vincent and Dailey & Vincent warming up backstage at Simply Bluegrass, photo – Brad Hardisty

Ricky explained the real difference between Country and Bluegrass music by saying, “It’s built around a band. It’s not built around a lead singer. I mean you got to have a lead singer to sing the stuff but bluegrass that’s the difference in bluegrass and Country. Country is usually built as a band in the background and the lead singer is up front and he is doing his deal and they are just kind of supporting him. A bluegrass band, everybody is just as important. You got to have the mandolin, you got to have the fiddle, you got to have the guitar and you know obviously you got to have good singin’ and you got to have good playin but it is built around a band.”

Del McCoury signing commemoratove poster, photo – Brad Hardisty

With this much talent in the room, the idea of collaboration had to come up and Ricky shared, “I am always up for something, I just had Jamie Johnson from The Grascals ask me to do something with them. They are going to re-record “Waitin’ For The Sun To Shine”, a song that I had hit with back in the eighties.”

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridgeathotmaildotcom

Tags Bill Anderson, Countrys Family Reunion, Dailey and Vincent, Del McCoury, Dierks Bentley, Doyle Lawson, Jerry Douglas, Larry Black, Mac Wiseman, Ramona Jones, Rhonda Vincent, Ricky Skaggs, Sam Bush, Sharon White, Sierra Hull, Simply Bluegrass, The Gibson Brothers, The Grascals, The Roys, The Whites

Categories Americana Music, Bluegrass Music, Jerry Douglas, Music, Music Row, Uncategorized

Elvis Impresario Colonel Tom Parker House For Sale

November 27, 2013 //

Rock ‘n Roll’s Roots Run Almost As Deep As Country in the History of Music City USA.

NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Arguably, many of the biggest entertainment deals of the 20th century took place in a fairly modest stone house in a Nashville suburb that served as home/office for Elvis’ infamous manager Colonel Tom Parker.

While audiences around the world associate the ‘Music City’ moniker with country music, one of Nashville’s best kept secrets, in the suburb of Madison, stands as an understated testament to the high-flying rock ‘n roll business deals of the 50’s, 60’s & 70’s. Today, interested buyers — some from as far away as Denmark — are lining up to see if they can tap into Parker’s Mojo as the home / office is now for sale.

Colonel Tom Parker – known as the business brain behind the Elvis Presley phenomenon – wielded his own brand of power management when it came to pushing rock n roll to the forefront of pop culture. From his office (or perhaps another room in his 4,000 sq. foot home), the man known simply as “the Colonel” was an industry trailblazer in driving hard bargains with all who sought to associate their film studio, television network, theater or any other entertainment venue with his most sought-after client, the “King of Rock n Roll”.

While the Grand Ole Opry was being beamed into countless homes across the nation’s airwaves, Colonel Parker was busy exploring and exploiting both national and international media platforms – all from his small basement office – that would present the Tupelo sensation to millions of hungry fans.

One iconic media outlet, the renowned Ed Sullivan show on CBS, proved to be quite a coup for not only the young Presley, but also the masterful negotiating Parker. As told by attorney Steve North, current owner of the former Parker home/office, the Colonel had repeatedly made overtures to the Sullivan show – to no avail – to arrange a guest appearance for Elvis. Then, suddenly, and much to Parker’s surprise, Sullivan himself called and offered a prime performance spot for the young rock ‘n roller on an upcoming show. According to North’s re-telling of the story, after considerable discussion of the scheduling particulars, Sullivan proudly stated that he (and his CBS bosses) were prepared to pay Elvis “far more than any other performer had ever been paid for appearing on the show!” “Colonel, how does $50,000 dollars sound?” Sullivan asked – fully expecting an immediate confirmation from Parker. “Well, “that sounds pretty good to me,” the Colonel responded after a long pause, “but what about my boy?”

Whether fact, fiction or perhaps a little of both, the story illustrates Parker’s well-known reputation for wheeling and dealing. His wrangling of variety show host Ed Sullivan served as a template for similarly lucrative deals throughout the next 30+ years for not only Elvis, but also other artist business managers – in both the Country and Rock n Roll genres` – who sought to emulate the Colonel’s managerial moxie.

It was here in late night music, television, film and merchandise meetings that Elvis found shelter from the publicity storm that awaited him whenever he attempted to venture out into public life. According to Tom Diskin, Col. Parker’s long-time close friend and associate, on multiple occasions Elvis would shower and sleep – sometimes after a night on the town – in the virtually unchanged combination home/office that sits on the now busy Gallatin Pike thoroughfare in Nashville suburb, Madison TN.

The stately stone-veneer building still retains the original 1950’s charm during the time Elvis rose from regional to international stardom to become the greatest selling recording artist of all time. From the management decisions executed by Col Tom Parker, Elvis would go on to sell over a billion records worldwide. “It is hard to fathom,” stated Stephen Shutts, Rockology, LLC president and Col.Parker office sales agent, “that one man’s career – which literally changed the course of music and pop culture around the world – was directed within the walls of this unassuming but no-less historic home-office.”

Colonel Tom Parker’s home – office is located at 1215 Gallatin Pike in Madison. The property is being showcased with strict financial criteria. Private tours will be available to a select qualified few during the duration of the sale. The property is zoned for multiple use.

Tags Colonel Tom Parker, Ed Sullivan, Elvis Presley, Madison Tennessee, Rockology, Stephen Shutts, Tom Diskin

Categories Elvis Presley, Music, Nashville, Rock Music, Uncategorized

Sixteen Ton Studio Premiers Norman Petty Vintage Studio B

November 25, 2013 //

Open House and Interview with Danny White and Ken Broad

Sixteen Ton Studio adds Norman Petty Room, 2013, photo – Brad Hardisty

“The kinds of things that Norman Petty brought to music were recognized by Paul McCartney with what he says…the technique and the quality that came along with the recording of Buddy Holly in his time.” – Ken Broad – Curator of the Norman Petty Recording Studio

Sixteen Ton Studios on Historic Music Row held an Open House to show off The Norman Petty Room, know as Studio Two which features some of the most important vintage gear that has been brought up to spec by Danny White.

Buddy Holly Gold Record recorded at Norman Petty Studio, photo – Brad Hardisty

Norman Petty’s Studio in Clovis, New Mexico is well known as the place where Buddy Holly recorded most of his classic hits as well as music by Roy Orbison, The Fireballs, Buddy Knox, Waylon Jennings and scores of other Artists.

Danny White at vintage 1969 API Console at Norman Petty Room, Sixteen Ton Studio, Nashville, TN, photo – Brad Hardisty

At the center of the room is an API board custom built in 1969 by API founder Saul Walker for Chet Atkins and was used in a mix/overdub room at RCA Studio B in Nashville during that time. The console had been out of service for 35 years before being restored along with the original late 50’s early 60’s gear from Norman Petty’s Studio by Sixteen Ton Studio Owner/Manager, Danny White.

The original Altec, Fairchild and Pultec tube rack gear used by Norman Petty during the early Rock and Roll era has been restored and can be used in conjunction with the vintage API board or anything else at Sixteen Ton Studio.

Norman Petty’s Ampex 401 now at Norman Petty Studio, Nashville, TN, Sixteen Ton Studio, photo – Brad Hardisty

During the Open House an example of the original Buddy Holly mix of “That’ll Be The Day” was played on the exact machine it was recorded on – the original Ampex 401 ¼ inch mono tape deck owned by Norman Petty.

Ken Broad and Lyle Walker who worked with Norman Petty and are Curators of The Norman Petty Studio in Clovis, New Mexico worked with Sixteen Ton Studios to bring the gear to Nashville were on hand to demonstrate and answer questions.

Brad Hardisty / The Nashville Bridge: It looks like all the vintage gear in this room is operational.

Scully, Ampex, Fairchild, Altec and Pultec vintage gear, restored at Norman Petty Studio at Sixteen Ton Studio, Nashville, TN, photo – Brad Hardisty

Danny White, Studio Owner/ Manager: Both the Ampex 300 and Scully 4 track are ready. You could come here and record an entire record with this console recorded to tape, mix it to tape and press it to vinyl without touching a computer. So, the answer to your question is both. The vintage stuff can be used as an outboard piece of gear or as a standalone.

BH: Does the Ampex work as well as the Scully?

DW: Oh yeah. Everything is running.

BH: Did you have the head re-lapped and all of that?

Original Ampex 401 used for early Buddy Holly material restored at Norman Petty Studio, Nashville, TN pphoto – Brad Hardisty

DW: Heads re-lapped. Electronics completely recapped and re-tubed. The heads on the Scully 280, everything in here is operational, even this is Norman Petty’s original Ampex 401. This is the “Buddy Holly” machine that had tracks recorded to tape.

BH: It’s a mono machine?

DW: It’s Mono.

BH: The API board: did you find this from a collector?

Danny White shows features of 1969 API Consolte originally built for Chet Atkins at RCA Studio B, nashville, TN, photo – Brad Hardisty

DW: No. I bought this from my very good friend, Dave Copp who is a Producer here in town and he got it from a guy out in Hollywood, California that had ended up with it many years ago. It was ordered by Chet Atkins during 1968-69 [RCA Studio B] eras and it was finished later on in 69-70. It was installed in Studio B. What they called Studio D which was a small room right across from the main tracking room.

BH: It was a mixing room?

DW: Mixing room and overdubs. But, they also tracked…now my friend Tom Pick brought these Monitors in because whenever they closed RCA in 77 he was the Chief Engineer and he got these Monitors and a bunch of the other gear out of there.

BH: Are they Altecs?

DW: Altec 604 E Super Duplex and that’s what is in them now.

BH: You matched what was in them originally?

DW: They are the same speakers that were in RCA Studio B. I had them re-coned.

BH: That’s really cool.

vintage Ampex 4 track, Norman Petty Studio at Sixteen Ton, nashville, TN, photo – Brad Hardisty

DW: This is the RCA set-up right here. But, the cool thing is that you can have this in conjunction with the Norman Petty gear so, anyway, you got the best of both [50’s and 60’s analog] worlds.

BH: was the API board made out in California at that time?

DW: This was made in Farmingdale, New York. This is the one of the oldest intact API’s in existence. This was a very early console.

BH: It’s got Automated Processes Incorporated right across the top.

DW: That’s it. You have the original 512’s, original 550’s not 550 a or b and you have the big meter 525 compressors. Everything in this console is still the way…in fact it has the master control from RCA Studio B and the monitor control.

BH: It’s amazing how the API design was kept almost the same this whole time. This looks almost identical to the API lunch box modules.

DW: Absolutely.

BH: Have you done any recording on it yet?

DW: We actually ran this API Console, for a little while as a side car in Studio A while we were building this room. It sounded amazing. But, we haven’t done anything in this room. This is our Open House. We will do some more tuning and we will get ready to record toward the end of the year.

BH: What about The McIntosh tube power amps?

DW: They all came from Clovis, New Mexico.

BH: Is that a 50 watt?

DW: The original is Norman Petty’s and that is a 50 Watt. It’s a McIntosh 50W2. That’s his original amp that he used for all the Buddy Holly stuff as well as, Buddy Knox or Roy Orbison. He was the first one to work with Roy as well. The 70 Watt amp is a 60’s amp that Norman went to and that is mono also. We are running mono in here today but obviously we will have stereo. We decided to run mono just because of the open house.

BH: That is a tracking room right off of here.

Sixteen Tow Studio, main room, converted house on Music Row, Nashville, TN, photo – Brad Hardisty

DW: Yes, these are all tracking rooms. Studio 1 is over there and this is Studio Two or The Petty Room. But, all these rooms are independent. We have an independent headphone system for this room and that room but, we can also tie both the rooms together through the patch bay. So, if you want to get a mix going on in here and you want to go through the Altecs and you wonder what they would sound like through the $20,000 ATC’s then we go in that room and patch them in and pull them up and see what they sound like. We can A/B them and you can put them through the compression rack over there or vice a versa and that’s kind of nice. But, Ken and his partner Lyle have been the reason why this has happened. I just got it and put it together.

BH: It’s great that you have some of Norman Petty’s original staff here today.

DW: Ken Broad and Lyle Walker came in from Clovis, New Mexico.

BH: Tell me a little about Norman Petty’s legacy.

Ken Broad: Well, we like to make a point that Norman Petty is one of the greatest engineers of all time. Not only that, but, Producer, Songwriter and we’re lookin’ forward to letting that be more known here in Nashville for people to come and visit. We want to keep his legacy available to the public. Musicians for their appreciation of it and also for just a tribute to him for what he contributed to music. He turned things around in ‘57 with the way he recorded Buddy Holly.

BH: He brought High Fidelity Recording to Rock and Roll.

Ken Broad, Norman Petty curator, demonstrating Scully 4 track, nashville, TN, photo – Brad Hardisty

KB: The kinds of things that Norman Petty brought to music were recognized by Paul McCartney with what he says…the technique and the quality that came along with the recording of Buddy Holly in his time. He didn’t record by the clock. He didn’t believe that creativity came by the clock. He recorded by the hour to keep his Artists relaxed and comfortable so that they could contribute with their very best in the expertise with which they are recognized and he had a respect for the Artist. However, he was a great deal older than some of those that he recorded in ’57, ’58,

BH: How old was he at that time?

Ken Broad turning up vintage Altecs playing location recoding form the ’50s of Tommy Dorsey Big Band, Nashville, TN, photo – Brad Hardisty

KB: Well, he was older than Buddy Holly by about seven years which wasn’t very much. He was in his 30’s when he worked with Buddy Holly. He recognized the talent in them and there were 12 major hits that came out of the Norman Petty Studio on West 7^th Street in 15 months time which was pretty phenomenal. They were coming out on the Coral and Brunswick labels as well when Decca didn’t take him [Buddy Holly] on with “That’ll Be The Day.” After Buddy Holly was dropped by Decca he came back and with the recommendation of a disc jockey in Lubbock, Texas he came out to no-man’s land in Clovis, New Mexico and matched with somebody who could really take his music and work together. He and Buddy Holly worked together. They collaborated on a lot of the songs that they did and look where they went.

Danny White: I want to add something to that just to go along with Ken. There are two big bangs in Rock and Roll as far as I’m concerned. The minute that Elvis Presley walked through the door at Sam Phillip’s Studio and the minute Buddy Holly walked through the door at Norman Petty’s studio. You look at those two things and right down the street here just one block is where Buddy Holly recorded for Decca and he was dropped off of Decca. How fast? Less than a year.

Ken Broad next to original Norman Petty Ampex 401 now in Nashville, TN, photo – Brad Hardisty

Ken: Oh, Yeah. In months and then he was done. But, he went to Norman and without that work he did in Clovis…no Beatles like they were, no Rolling Stones like they were. I mean the early Beatles; the early Stones were heavily influenced by the work of Buddy Holly.

BH: The difference between Elvis and Buddy was Elvis was a great interpreter but Buddy Holly was a singer/songwriter like Little Richard. He did his own stuff.

Danny: Right. So, you look at the first Beatles, “Listen To Me”, “Words Of Love”. I think one of the first Rolling Stones releases was “Not Fade Away.” So, that all came out of Clovis, New Mexico so that is pretty interesting to think about.

Ken: These many years later, 50 some years later the interest is still strong in that music. It is much stronger in England than any other place that I know of. The people have held high the banner of Buddy Holly.

BH: I think that is true of all early Rock and Roll, Gene Vincent on down to Eddie Cochran.

Danny: Eddie Cochran yeah!

Vintage Seeburg jukebox fille dwith Norman Petty recordings at Sixteen Ton Studios, Nashville, TN, photo – Brad Hardisty

Ken: We do tours of the old studio in Clovis, New Mexico at 1313 West 7^th on the original gear that was used in that studio and there are people that come every several months. Groups that want to measure the studio because they want to re-create one in London or some part of England so they can have a studio like Norman Petty.

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridgeathotmaildotcom

Tags Ampex, API, Brunswick Records, Buddy Holly, Buddy Knox, Chet Atkins, Clovis, Coral Records, Danny White, Fairchild, Ken Broad, Lyle Walker, McIntosh Amplifiers, New Mexico, Norman Petty Studio, Pultec, RCS Studio B, Roy Orbison, Scully, Sixteen Ton Studio, Waylon Jennings

Categories Music, Music City, Music Row, Nashville, Uncategorized

Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale at Cannery

November 6, 2013 //

Buddy and Jim Live

Jim Lauderdale, Buddy Miller, Cannery Ballroom, Sept 2013, photo – Brad Hardisty

The most anticipated set at this years’ Americana Festival was Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale bringing their collaboration, Buddy and Jim to the Cannery Row in front of a packed house.

Buddy Miller, Cannery Ballroom, Sept. 2013, photo – Brad Hardisty

Buddy and Jim have both been mainstays since almost the inception of the Americana Music scene where both have one multiple awards starting in 2002 when Jim Lauderdale won both Artist of The Year and Song of the Year.

Buddy Miller at Cannery Ballroom, Sept. 2013, photo – Brad Hardisty

Buddy Miller was not to be outdone winning a duet album of the year in 2002 with his wife Julie Miller as well as Album of The Year as a solo artist in 2005 for Universal United House of Prayer.

Jim Lauderdale, Buddy Miller, Cannery Ballroom, Sept 2013, photo – Brad Hardisty

Jim Lauderdale has played host of the Americana Music Association Awards Show for several years running and if you want to get a hint of that check out the video of “ Hush Hush” by Pistol Annies where he was featured as a Preacher and Brenda Lee plays the Choir Director.

On the other hand, Buddy Miller has been leader of the house band for the Awards show for several years running.

Buddy Miller, Cannery Ballroom, Sept 2013, photo – Brad hardisty

Buddy Miller’s career really started taking off in the late 90’s and especially during the last decade with several High Tone and New West releases, but International acclaim outside of Americana circles came as bandleader on Robert Plant’s Band Of Joy album and subsequent tour. Although Band of Joy became a big tour and launched all over the world, The Americana Music Association featured Robert Plant with the project at the Awards show just prior to release as well as Robert singing a song from the release at the following year’s star studded show that also featured Gregg Allman.

Buddy and Jim had collaborated for nearly fifteen years off and on, but never sat down to do an album together until now.

Americana Music is a realm of collaboration and this was inevitable between two Artists that have worked with everybody from Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, Elvis Costello, Ralph Stanley, James Burton to Grateful Dead Lyricist, Robert Hunter.

Buddy Miller, Cannery Ballroom, Sept 2013, photo – Brad Hardisty

Buddy and Jim are currently tastemakers on their Sirius XM Radio Show on Outlaw Channel 60 as well as Jim Lauderdale’s Radio Show on WSM 650 in Nashville.

Currently, Buddy Miller just produced The Devil Makes Three’s new release.

Jim Lauderdale released a new Bluegrass album in September entitled Old Time Angels.

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridgeathotmaildotcom

Tags Americana Music Festival 2013

Categories Americana Music, Americana Music Festival, Buddy Miller, Country Music, Jim Lauderdale, Nashville, Uncategorized

North Mississippi Allstars At Cannery

November 1, 2013 //

Luther Dickinson, North Mississippi Allstars, Cannery Ballroom 2013, photo – Brad Hardisty

Hill Country Meet Me In The City!

Mississippi was represented by Luther & Cody Dickinson bringing North Mississippi Allstars to the Cannery Ballroom during this year’s Americana Music Festival on September 19^th with solid slide and Hill Country influenced tones.

Turn it to 11 Luther – North Mississippi Allstars at Cannery Ballroom, Sept 2013, photo – Brad Hardisty

They released their seventh album World Boogie Is Coming [A Bukka White term]in September which was produced by themselves at their own Zebra Ranch Studios in Coldwater, MS, aside from a day in the studio with Robert Plant (and his harmonica) at Memphis’ legendary Royal Studios. The Dickinson Brothers did it with the help of long-time friends, Lightnin’ Malcolm, Duwayne and Garry Burnside, Kenny Brown, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Sharde Thomas, Chris Chew, Sid and Steve Selvidge, Plant and others.

Lightnin Malcolm, North Mississippi Allstars at Cannery Ballroom, Sept 2013, photo – Brad Hardisty

Stud, Grandson of T Model Ford, North Mississippi Allstars at Cannery Ballroom, Sept 2013, photo – Brad Hardisty

The current line-up feature well known Hill Country Blues Guitarist, Lightnin’ Malcolm on Bass, as well as a spotlight with Lightnin’s current two man juke joint drummer, Stud, Grandson of T Model Ford on a couple of tunes adding extra percussion to new tune “Shimmy.”

Luther Dickinson – North Mississippi Allstars at Cannery Ballroom, Sept 2013, photo – Brad Hardisty

It’s hard to believe that North Mississippi Allstars has been around since 1996. They established themselves bringing current great players from the most current Mississippi scene to the stages of Bonnaroo and other festivals.

Lightnin Malcolm switching to guitar, North Mississippi Allstars at Cannery Ballroom, Sept 2013, photo – Brad Hardisty

It all started about the time that Fat Possum started exposing Hill Country Blues to the world with the newest originator, Junior Kimbrough as well as the electronic re-mixes that went viral around the world of R.L. Burnside that featured a young Grandson, Cedric Burnside on drums.

Luther switches off to Bass, North Mississippi Allstars at Cannery, photo – Brad Hardisty

North Mississippi Allstars may have been what the great promoter; Bill Graham would have envisioned when he would put bills together in the 60’s at The Fillmore West that included blues great Muddy Waters and others along with the Modern San Francisco scene. The band is carrying that tradition along and looking at all avenues to explore and keep the Blues “in-play.”

Luther on 2 strings and a can – North Mississippi Allstars, photo – Brad Hardisty

Mississippi vibe was in the house especially when Luther picked up his electrified Diddley Bow and did “Rollin & Tumblin.”

The Cannery Ballroom, Sept 2013, photo – Brad Hardisty

The Cannery Ballroom provided great acoustics and an intimate venue of 1000 or so fans that really enjoy music.

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridgeathotmail.com

Tags Lightnin Malcolm, Luther Dickinson, North Mississippi Allstars, Stud, T Model Ford

Categories Americana Music Festival 2012, Blues Music, Cannery Ballroom, Lightnin' Malcolm, Mississippi Hill Country Blues, Uncategorized

Nettie Rose California Gold At Mercy

October 24, 2013 //

So Cal Tale Weaving Nettie Rose at The Billy Block Show

Billy Block Into – Mercy Lounge 10/22/2013, photo – Brad Hardisty

Nettie Rose is a cross between a young June Carter growing up in Modern So Cal, instead of the Smoky Mountains with a Laurel Canyon era Graham Parsons partner Emmylou Harris singing thru the lens of a Gold rush street fightin’ San Fran Saloon Chanteuse.

Nettie Rose, Mercy Lounge 10/22/2013, photo – Brad Hardisty

Nettie Rose debuted on The Billy Block Show live from Mercy Lounge Tuesday night weaving tales from the San Francisco gold rush days to sharing her own stories of modern L.A.life.

Nettie Rose, Billy Block Show at Mercy Lounge, 10/22/2013, photo – Brad Hardisty

Her voice is part plaintive Wildwood Flower , Wanda Jackson “Fuji Yama Mama” with a little scratch tickling the throat and sometimes pure catfight from a Boomtown Dance Hall girl that has been through too many “love ‘em and leave ‘em” romances from a transient California strike it rich past.

Nettie Rose at Billy Block Show, Mercy Lounge, 10/22/2013, photo – Brad Hardisty

Nettie Rose had been in Nashville the past few days recording new songs, one of which ”Deaf Cowboy” was debuted during the six song set that gave Nashville a taste of California’s history and country music heritage as well as the first song she wrote, the sing-a-long “Ride, Ride, Ride.”

Lynn Shipley Sokolow, Fred Sokolow, Nettie Rose, Mercy Lounge, 10/22/2013, photo – Brad Hardisty

Current mentor and co-writer, Fred Sokolow was featured on some pre-Bakersfield Sound style Tele work as well as “Speedy West” Electric Hawaiian tone that played like on old California Town Hall Party 78 record.

John “Spazz” Hatton, with Nettie Rose at Mercy Lounge, 10/22/2013, photo – Brad Hardisty

Upright bassist extraordinaire, John “Spazz” Hatton, who has played with Brian Setzer, kept the bottom end somewhere between early Bob Wills and Sun Records’ Tennessee Two percussive slaps when needed, like they were goin’ to play the Grand Ole Opry in 1952 and couldn’t use a drummer.