Will Dailey: Rise

The other night, I watching “CSI New York” and Mac Taylor (played by Gary Sinise) was playing bass behind Will Dailey doing his hit “Rise.” I had seen this episode before, but never paid any attention to the song. Released in 2007, “Rise” has been used on other CBS TV shows such as “CSI,” “NCIS,” the “Early Show,” and others.

Dailey is one of three artists signed to CBS Records which is a new company operated by the CBS Television network and not to be confused with Columbia (North America) and CBS Records (elsewhere) that CBS once owned but sold to Sony. The entire Columbia Records story is convoluted anyway.

Columbia (UK) which was once owned by the same parent as Columbia (US) had to divest of its US holdings but kept the label identity under its new corporation EMI and used the trademark everywhere except North America. Confused? Good – as we all are. Eventually, EMI retired the Columbia Label and sold the trademark to Sony who now markets the Columbia label worldwide.

Back to Daily, I believe he is playing a Gibson J-50 on the main video and he uses an alternate tuning that is primarily a half-step lower than standard for “Rise.” The only difference is that the low E string is dropped to a B. The other notes are dropped a half-step to be G# D# F# A# D#. So when he plays a C it is actually a B and Fmaj7 sounds as Emaj7. Other chords such as Dm, G, and F are sounded as C#m, F#, and E. Still confused? Excellent – don’t worry about it – listen to one of the three versions of “Rise” and try to think too much about it.

Live on the Early Show

Cameo Appearance on CSI NY

Dave and Ansell Collins: Double Barrel

Today’s one hit wonder is one that I’m sure you’ll remember, but would not be able to tell me the name. Dave and Ansell Collins were a reggae act from where else – Jamaica, mon.

I wouldn’t know the name of this song if it were not for a various artist album that was put out by Bell Records and featured songs from the various labels it distributed. “Double Barrel” was a Big Tree Records release.

Dave and Ansell were not brothers – Dave’s name was Dave Baker, which wasn’t his real name anyway – he was born as David Crooks. Ansell Collins (his real name) played keyboards and Dave provided the unique vocals ala “I am the magnificent – the W – O – O – O.” This was the first recording on which reggae drummer Sly Dunbar played. He was 14 at the time.

Truly a one hit wonder – Dave and Ansell Collins – never returned to the American Hot 100. Even a rebranding to Clint Eastwood and General Saint in 80s failed to produce another American hit. We will need to be content with their one and only that charted in the summer of 71 at #22.

Ian Matthews: Reno, Nevada

Here’s another Fairport Convention who has been variously known as Ian McDonald, Ian Matthews, and more recently as Iain Matthews in which he reverted back to the original spelling of his forename. From 1971, “If you saw thro’ my Eyes” is Matthew's fifth album project after exiting Fairport. It was his first of two albums for the Vertigo label.

I bought my copy from the cutout bin at Woolworths in the Eastland Shopping Center in North Versailles, PA back in 1973. It really is a great album all the way through and I labored on which song to feature in our weekly Traditional Tuesday feature. The album features the likes of other Fairport alumni Sandy Denny and Richard Thompson; Fotheringay alumni Sandy, Pat Donaldson, and Gerry Conway; as well as Tim Renwick and Andy Roberts. Matthews would form the band Plainsong with Roberts.

After much consternation, I decided on my first choice – Richard and Mimi Fariña’s “Reno, Nevada.” This was a song that Matthews and Judy Dyble sang in their Fairport days. Fairport’s version was not released until nearly 20 years later with the release of “Heyday: the BBC Radio Sessions 1968–69.” Which version is better, I will have to say I like Matthew’s version better than his previous recording with Fairport and much better than the Fariña’s original version.

One of the reasons I like this incarnation better is that I think Richard Thompson has a much better lead on this version than his lead on the earlier version. Matthews’ vocals are much more expressive and the intervening years of singing has only made him better. Additionally, the production is very tight on this recording – probably in part to the rhythm section of Pat Donaldson and Gerry Conway. The same energy they brought to Fotheringay’s only LP. Enjoy.

Radney Foster & Pat Green: Texas In 1880

It is not often where I feature an artist who covers his own song; however, today’s selection is one of those rare occasions. I love this song and even learned it in 1987 when it was the third of four singles from Foster & Lloyd’s self titled debut album. I remember seeing them on Austin City Limits and within a few days, I bought the cassette and played it death while on the road. I was reminded of this because the cassette just surfaced about a month ago.

The duo was made of Bill Lloyd and Radney Foster. Note the spelling of his name is RAD-ney; I wonder if he had a dollar for every time in his life that he was called either Randy or Rodney how rich would he be. Anyway, Foster and Lloyd broke on the scene with their debut LP and garnered three top ten singles and “Texas in 1880” which peaked on Billboard’s Hot Country Charts at 18. The album charted at #33 on the Country Album Charts. This was a fairly good showing for a debut record.

Foster & Lloyd had a unique country-rock sound reminiscent in places of The Byrds’ country-rock period and harmonies that were compared to the Everly Brothers. I always wondered why they never could sustain their run at the charts. Were they too late with their sound missing the fledgling country-rock era of the 70s or too early missing the “country is cool” phase of the 90s? Perhaps the promotional department of RCA Nashville didn’t know what to do with this band. I guess we will never know for sure.

Another duo, Brooks & Dunn, were country chart favorites from 1991 until they called it quits last year. If Foster & Lloyd had waited four years to hit the scene would their stab at the charts have been any different? Speaking of Brooks and Dunn, what if Radney Foster and Kix Brooks teamed up – they could be known as Foster Brooks. I guess you have to be of a sufficient age to appreciate that joke.

In 2001, Radney Foster and Pat Green covered the old Foster & Lloyd 1987 hit and tried a run at the charts. I would imagine that Foster saw the potential in his own song that he chose to rerecord it and see if it could do better the second time around; however, it didn’t as it only charted at #54 on the country charts. The album, “Ready for the Big Show” failed to chart.

The arrangement mirrors the original; however, an addition of an organ, mandolin, piano, and slide guitar (probably a lap steel) add to the newness of this version. It also features the harmony vocals of then up-and-coming country artist Pat Green. In a few years, Green would have his own hit with “Wave on Wave.”

The Foster & Lloyd Original

As stated earlier, I loved this song the first time I heard it in Austin City Limits, although I have no partiality towards cowboys, rodeos, or the decade of the 1880s. In fact, I’ve never been to a rodeo and have no plans of every attending one – it is the music and not the subject of the song that grabbed me.

Although missing the instrumentation of the cover, this song is fine the way it is and it doesn’t need anything else. Guitars, bass, and drums are enough for this 1987 hit. By the way, Foster and Lloyd have reformed as of the end of last year. Expect the release of their new CD "It's Already Tomorrow" sometime this spring.

Buddy Miller: Wide RIver To Cross

One of my favorite performers is Buddy Miller and he and his wife Julie wrote today’s Spiritual Sunday selection – “Wide River to Cross.” The song appears on Buddy’s 2004 solo album “Universal United House of Prayer.” His version of Mark Heard’s “Worry Too Much” from the same album won the 2005 American Music Awards’ Song of the Year.

While Buddy Miller’s name is not universally recognized by the average Joe, he is a musician’s musician. Beneath the three-day growth of a beard and the obligatory ball cap is a man that is a musical genius. Enjoy.

Impromptu Live Version

Lyrics

There's a sorrow in the wind
Blowing' down the road I've been
I can hear it cry while shadows steal the sun
But I cannot look back now
I’ve come too far to turn around
And there's still a race ahead that i must run

I’m only halfway home I gotta journey on
To where I’ll find the things that I have lost
I've come a long, long road still I’ve got miles to go
I've got a wide, wide river to cross

I have stumbled I have strayed
You can trace the tracks i made
All across the memories my heart recalls
But, I'm just a refugee won't you say a prayer for me
Cause sometimes even the strongest soldier falls

Billy Thorpe: Children Of The Sun

Our Saturday “Bubbling Under” tune was inspired by Greg Rector, an old college friend and follower of this blog. I had forgotten about “Children of the Sun” the title cut from Billy Thorpe’s first American LP release until Greg requested it. The album was a concept recording that is often referred to as a space opera.

Although English by birth, Thorpe moved to Australia as a child and he is generally considered an Australian artist. His first solo US release was meant with a modicum of success as the album charted at 39 on Billboard’s Top 200 Album Chart. The single is truly a bubbling under hit as it peaked at #41 on the Hot 100 – therefore qualifying as a true bubbling under single by our definition.

The album was originally issued in the US on Capricorn Records, which was an outlet for many Southern Rock bands such as the Allman Brothers, The Marshall Tucker Band, Stillwater, Wet Willie, Elvin Bishop, Dickey Betts, Black Oak Arkansas, Cowboy, and the Dixie Dregs. The label almost became synonymous with Southern Rock acts and typecast as a Southern Rock label.

Besides Billy Thorpe, the label hosted non-Southern Rock artists such as Livingston Taylor, Jonathan Edwards, Captain Beyond, White Witch, Sea Level, and Dobie Gray to name a few – of which Billy Thorpe is one. Thorpe died of a massive heart attack on February 28, 2007. Although nominated prior to his death, Thorpe was posthumously inducted as a member of the Order of Australia later the same year.

The Lovin' Spoonful: Night Owl Blues

Ultra busy yesterday, so I passed on the TV Thursday theme, but I am back with Friday’s Flipside. Today’s selection is the “B” side to The Lovin’ Spoonful’s 1966 hit “Daydream.” “Night Owl Blues” is a little instrumental that features the harmonic of John Sebastian and the guitar work of Zal Yanovsky.

The “A” side peaked at #2 on the Hot 100; however, the flip side did not contribute to the success of the single. While “Daydream” was the title cut from the album of the same name, “Night Owl Blues” was not released on an album until 2002 when it appeared as one of five bonus tracks on the “Daydream” CD.