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Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson, Chris Stapleton, and Other Good Stuff


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Posted

Don’t know if any of y’all know or have heard of James Hand, but he passed away last night.   From the Waco area, sounds like a poor man’s Hank/Possum love child. Was good friends of a lot of country legends (Willie, Kris, others).  Never made it as big as them, but was a super nice dude that chased the music his entire adult life.   Was bigger in Europe than here, but loved in small local holes that he’d show up to.  
 

https://youtu.be/NXffk8ZqlHY

Posted
Don’t know if any of y’all know or have heard of James Hand, but he passed away last night.   From the Waco area, sounds like a poor man’s Hank/Possum love child. Was good friends of a lot of country legends (Willie, Kris, others).  Never made it as big as them, but was a super nice dude that chased the music his entire adult life.   Was bigger in Europe than here, but loved in small local holes that he’d show up to.  
 


Slim is on my Mount Rushmore of country artist. I’ll never understand why he wasn’t one of the biggest of all time other than real Honky Tonk doesn’t sell any more.

I have two framed pics of him on a wall in my house.

He had his issues and personal demons but he was the real deal. Also one of the most humble men I’ve ever known in my life and it was genuine. I’ve seen him well up with tears when someone one would tell him how much they loved his music.

I am heart broken that he is gone but take comfort in knowing he has finally found peace.
  • Like 2
Posted
8 minutes ago, drifter379 said:


Slim is on my Mount Rushmore of country artist. I’ll never understand why he wasn’t one of the biggest of all time other than real Honky Tonk doesn’t sell any more.

I have two framed pics of him on a wall in my house.

He had his issues and personal demons but he was the real deal. Also one of the most humble men I’ve ever known in my life and it was genuine. I’ve seen him well up with tears when someone one would tell him how much they loved his music.

I am heart broken that he is gone but take comfort in knowing he has finally found peace.

Very well said.  Saw him at the Hippodrome here in Waco one night when Kris was playing.  Went up and told him how much I loved his stuff, and how much we loved hanging with him at Tokio Store (he actually remembered that).  He gave me a big hug and took a pic with me.   Later on when Kris took a break, Slim got up and sang about 5 of his songs.  Was cool to see.   
 

I honestly have no idea how he didn’t make it big, other than that maybe he was kind of a man without a country so to speak, a great artist a half a generation too late.  He’ll always be high on my personal list 

  • Like 1
Posted (edited)

That's a damn fine album.  William Clark Green and (especially) Josh Abbott are a little "fluffy" for my taste, but Cleto Cordero and John Baumann are both excellent songwriters.

John Baumann's new one "Country Shade" is even better.  He's criminally unknown/underrated.

 

Edited by Al_4_ISU
Posted

James Hand's death wasn't coronavirus, was it?

I really regret not seeing him a lot more.  Fuck the door guy at Continental Club who wouldn't let me bring in my teenage daughter on a Sunday afternoon.  Seriously?  Mark us both with giant "X" badges of shame on our hands, we just want to see some music.

  • Like 1
Posted
4 hours ago, Al_4_ISU said:

That's a damn fine album.  William Clark Green and (especially) Josh Abbott are a little "fluffy" for my taste, but Cleto Cordero and John Baumann are both excellent songwriters.

John Baumann's new one "Country Shade" is even better.  He's criminally unknown/underrated.

 

We seem to have pretty similar tastes in music. Like Baumann's tunes, but his live show was very disappointing. I'll give him another shot because I'm hoping it was just an off night. Have you had a chance to catch a live show?

Posted
We seem to have pretty similar tastes in music. Like Baumann's tunes, but his live show was very disappointing. I'll give him another shot because I'm hoping it was just an off night. Have you had a chance to catch a live show?

I don’t think he ever plays outside of Texas
Posted
10 hours ago, IDIOTsavant said:

Also, William Clark Green's Rose Queen album was damn good. Haven't liked the newer stuff as much, but that album was pretty much good start to finish.

He's got about 10-15 really great songs in his line up.  I'm maybe being hard on him because I think he's veered hard into poppier country lately.

Posted


Siap


https://m.facebook.com/events/s/picture-show-a-tribute-celebra/901288670282635/?ti=icl


Tune in this evening, June 11 @ 7:30pm ET, for the live stream broadcast of Picture Show: A Tribute Celebrating John Prine.

Produced by the Prine family and Oh Boy Records, the live stream will feature memories and songs as well as rare and never-before-seen footage of John himself. Special guests include Kacey Musgraves, Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isbell, Stephen Colbert, Brene Brown and many others.

  • Like 1
Posted
On 6/10/2020 at 2:30 PM, baboso said:

We talk about these guys yet?

 

Getting a Band of Heathen vibe. Will give the album a listen.

 

Also John Baumann is really fucking good. "Here I come" is a personal anthem.

Posted
On 6/10/2020 at 9:22 AM, drifter379 said:


Slim is on my Mount Rushmore of country artist. I’ll never understand why he wasn’t one of the biggest of all time other than real Honky Tonk doesn’t sell any more.

I have two framed pics of him on a wall in my house.

He had his issues and personal demons but he was the real deal. Also one of the most humble men I’ve ever known in my life and it was genuine. I’ve seen him well up with tears when someone one would tell him how much they loved his music.

I am heart broken that he is gone but take comfort in knowing he has finally found peace.

@jimmyjazz   Tonight at 7:00, there’s a James Hand tribute show by quite a few local artists who knew him and were really good friends of his, live at Tokio Store and live on www.shooterfm.com

and anytime one of y’all want to go grab a cold beer in one of the coolest places in Texas, Tokio Store is about 15 minutes north of Waco.   It’s like walking back in time.  Shoot me a PM.  

Posted (edited)

The pinnacle of 21st century rock and roll, IMO.  We used to watch this in my party house in Ames on Friday afternoons.  Turned up LOUD.  Like you could hear it a block away loud.

Edited by Al_4_ISU
  • Like 4
Posted
13 minutes ago, ocugolf said:

I got my hands on the Sunday Valley CDs. Sturgill has tried to erase that era of his career, but man, those songs kick some serious ass.

Yeah, I don't get that at all.  He made some great music in that time.  "Folded Flag" and "Sometimes Wine" might crack my Top 10 Sturgill songs.  I'd think "Folded Flag" is something he'd still be proud of.  He echoes that sentiment and ethos regularly.

Posted
2 hours ago, ocugolf said:

Also REK and Lyle played on Facebook live and it’s up on YouTube. Awesome as usual.

I caught Lyle & John Hiatt a few weeks ago.  They were brilliant.

Posted
11 hours ago, Stringer said:

New Margo Price coming out tomorrow.  I've liked the early released songs, especially "Twinkle Twinkle"

It's pretty damn good.  I like Ray Wylie Hubbard's new one quite a bit too.  I can't think of anyone else besides him and John Prine that have kept writing songs that good past 70.  I'm not a big recent Dylan guy.

Posted
23 hours ago, Al_4_ISU said:

It's pretty damn good.  I like Ray Wylie Hubbard's new one quite a bit too.  I can't think of anyone else besides him and John Prine that have kept writing songs that good past 70.  I'm not a big recent Dylan guy.

Ray is so awesome.  Crazy he's never had an ACL taping, and apparently was supposed to this year, but COVID is fuck you.  Hope he finally gets the honor.

 

  • Like 1
Posted
1 hour ago, 4th&Five said:

Yeah. Used to see him a lot when he first got to town. Talia is a great song. 

I used to see him whenever he came through Houston. Along the line, Cracking Up, and Red Shoes are favorites of mine too.

Posted

Really like some of GW’s stuff, beggars blues and naive melodies had some great stuff. Then he changed sounds/approach and totally lost me starting with door album and esp Women

Posted
Flatt Lonesome just needs better material.  The Dwight Yoakam song is easily their best tune.  Nothing else really ever stood out to me.  


Totally agree. They need to get access to Chris Stapelton’s song book.
  • Like 2
Posted
On 6/10/2020 at 7:42 PM, IDIOTsavant said:

Also, William Clark Green's Rose Queen album was damn good. Haven't liked the newer stuff as much, but that album was pretty much good start to finish.

I think the "problem" with some of these guys and their songs is that they get very specific in their writing. If the scenario they're talking about hits close to home, then it hits like a ton of bricks. If not, then it's good but not great. The transcendent songs don't need it to hit so close to home to leave that kind of impact. My example for WCG is "Still Think About You", which hits me hard, but I can see how it wouldn't move the meter for many other people. 

  • Like 1
Posted

New Lydia Loveless album "Daughter" out 9/25/20.  Very excited for this.  Been a big fan of hers since "Boy Crazy", and I love pretty much everything she's put out (first album is pretty weak, but she was 16 when she wrote most of it).

  • 3 weeks later...
Posted

LOL . . . I had a sunburst version of that Fender Strat Plus Deluxe.  I did exactly the same thing -- swapped out the shitty Lace Sensor pickups for vintage wound Van Zandts.

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