Recommendation XLV: Marty Stuart (w/ Connie Smith)

Yeah, I know. You can’t believe your eyes? Me neither haha. Poor pathetic ole me is back with a new entry! I haven’t posted in like a year (even after I did a new look to the site. Sad, isn’t it?) Well, I got the writing bug biting again and wanted to fill you a lil in on some new stuff about me and what I’ve been digging lately.

The main reasons I haven’t been posting is life has been/is just busy, and I’ve dived into other more time-consuming activities… but one big significant problem is that my freakin’ computer is too damn slow! Every time I turn it on, my laptop literally takes like 30 minutes to start up the screen and sometimes it’ll shut itself off when it has too much going on. Utterly irritating, to say the least, but I digress from my main subject…

My forty-fifth recommendation is: Marty Stuart’s (with Connie Smith) “I Run to You” from his 2010 Ghost Train: The Studio B Sessions album. My post title practically gave it away haha, and I’m sure most people who read/used to read my blog already know about this gem however I wanted to write about it regardless.  I realize that I have already recommended Marty’s music in the past but 3 years has passed and this record can’t go ignored. Truly one of country music’s best guides to its history and tradition, Marty Stuart can always be counted upon to create timeless soul-driven pieces of art and this is no exception. I love watching his Marty Stuart Show on RFD-TV when it airs and soaking up on that intoxicating steel and fiddle (which is pretty much meaningless on today’s radio) and really feeling it, so real country fans oughta check that out.

Recommendation XXIX: Loretta Lynn

Hello all. Nice to see you. It’s been a long time… (well, it sure feels like it!).  I feel bad that I haven’t been able to update this site regularly like I was in early July (trust me- if I had internet at home, I’d stick to that routine, but I don’t).   Like I’ve mentioned before, I’ve been working a lot at two jobs and I’m usually pretty busy.  Thank God one of my best friends works with me at one of the jobs, so it’s fun to just talk and hang when it’s possible.  For the most part, with my free time, I usually relax and watch TV, play video games (classic N64 lol), and rent and watch DVDs from NetFlix.  Right now, I’m stoked for the U.S. release of Crystal Shawanda‘s new album (Dawn of a New Day) out Tuesday, August 19th. Anyway, I’m typing up this entry at home, and will copy and paste it when I get to the library. So here goes…

My twenty-ninth recommendation is: Loretta Lynn’s “Miss Being Mrs.” from her 2004 Van Lear Rose album.  I dunno how it took me so long to spotlight this great legend, but I think she’s the perfect person to come back with after my 2-3 week absence.   It’s hard to know where to begin with Miss Loretta Lynn. I don’t think I really knew her too well growing up in the ’90s.  I remember reading and hearing her name when my favorite artists would list their influences or their own personal favorites, and seeing her on TV for news and countdowns and such, so I grew intrigued.  Her music is so country and has a lot of spirit and attitude, and she’s so funny and kind to everybody.  What a woman.  I remember my mom loves her video for her duet, “Portland, Oregon”, with Jack White (of The White Stripes fame) because she thinks it’s cute how their relationship is like that of a grandmother and grandson.   I’ve always enjoyed Loretta’s wit, and how it shows in her songwriting and songs.  Her heartache songs are like no other, so I was definitely pulled towards that (also, it’s pretty damn cool that she’s Patty Loveless‘s distant cousin… or the other way around ;) ).

Recommendation XVIII: Rodney Crowell & Emmylou Harris

Yes, yes, I know – I’ve been away way too long…two months now since my last entry! I can’t believe it’s been that long and I really do apologize. I went home for winter break and had no internet to work with and since then, I’ve been back in school for January and have been as busy as ever, but now I finally have time to do more online stuff (lucky you). 2007 was quite a year for me and I thought the music was overall pretty good. I was planning on making a ’07 Best-of list, but now, it just seems too late hahaha. Alright, ‘nough chit-chat, and onto the recommendation…

My eighteenth recommendation is: Rodney Crowell & Emmylou Harris’s “My Baby’s Gone” from the 2003 Livin’, Lovin’, Losin’: Songs of the Louvin Brothers tribute album.  I remember that back in 2003, I had no idea at all who the Louvin Brothers were but I saw online ads for the tribute album on CMT.com and I read that Patty Loveless and Ronnie Dunn and many others were collaborating on there and I just had to check it out. CMT.com had an online Listening Party for the album and back then, you were only able to listen to one song per day, and from what I heard, I really loved it. The sweet pure country sound and vocals coming from it were just intoxicating to the ears and soul, and it was not usual to hear an album like this these days, especially with today’s mainstream country stuff. The Louvin Brothers are my kind of guys because based on the music covered on the album it’s perfect for hardcore traditionalists and for fans of the artists on the project. I love the production by Carl Jackson (he’s got a really good voice too!). I keep saying that if I was ever able to make a country album, I’d want Carl Jackson to produce it…or Marty Stuart, because I’d want that type of sound for my record. Anyway, this is one of the BEST albums that I own and I think more people should know about it.

Recommendation XVI: Porter Wagoner

Right now, I’m sitting in the lounge of my dorm residence hall typing this up late Sunday night/Monday morning because I feel like I need to put up my tribute to the late Porter Wagoner as soon as I could. Once I read the news a few hours ago, I was shocked and very saddened, though I knew it was coming some time. I do have class tomorrow (or I should say, later today), but it’s not until about noon, so I should be fine, and I really want to do this.

My sixteenth recommendation is: Porter Wagoner’s “Committed to Parkview” from his 2007 Wagonmaster album. Right away after reading of his passing, I felt the urge to listen to his music, because I, unfortunately and regrettably, did not own any of his music before this, even while excellent reviews from sites such as The 9513 and Country Universe raved about the album. When I did listen to the clips of Wagonmaster when it came out earlier this year, I liked it a lot and of course, was thrilled by Porter Wagoner‘s devotion to the traditional, classic country sound and I loved that Marty Stuart produced it. For some reason, sometimes with these older country singers/legends, I shy away from their work at times because I feel like my ears only have enough time for my favorite artists and ones I know better. I know that’s a terrible way to be and it’s a plague that hits a lot of the younger generation of mainstream country music listeners and it’s not good. It seems like it’s only until the singer turns for the worst, or dies, that people pay attention to them, and I admit I did that right now. I knew about Porter’s recent health issues but didn’t really think much of it, other than I hope he’ll be fine and make it through. The country music industry and the listeners should learn by now that an artist should be honored for their contributions to the genre before it’s too late, and there’s been so many times when they had their chances to but waited too long until after they were gone to honor them (Johnny Cash, Buck Owens, Waylon Jennings, etc.). There are, of course, exceptions, and I’m glad that the Grand Ole Opry gave Porter a very worthy tribute some months ago for his 50th anniversary with his friends: Dolly Parton, Patty Loveless, Marty Stuart, and on – that was a great show! I always thought that the Porter & Dolly duets I’ve heard before were really cool, and I’m glad I did know a good amount about him before all this. I just didn’t own any of his music, until now.

Recommendation XIV: Marty Stuart

Greetings to all, once again. As always, I gotta apologize for my absence – I cannot believe I have not posted anything since July 4th, so almost three months! It’s been way too long and working all the time doesn’t help. I will try a new thing in which that I will post entries regularly but it does not have to be a recommendation. I kind of felt like every entry had to be a recommendation, but it doesn’t have to be. I don’t want to drift too far away from the main theme of this blog, but I’ll start a new thing where I’ll make my comments on current radio singles (because I usually review non-singles), and I’ll try to keep them short. Anyway, here goes with my new recommendation – I’ve had this one in mind for a long time now!

My fourteenth recommendation is: Marty Stuart’s “Casino” from his 2005 Badlands album. I was first introduced to this album when CMT aired a special about Marty’s journey to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. I knew of him before that and liked his music but I was not really into him, for some reason. The special was really captivating because I could relate with some of what was going on. I myself am Native American and I knew a little about the Lakota tribe and the Badlands area, so seeing how passionate Marty Stuart was about helping out this tribe, who live simple lives on the rural, significantly-impoverished reservation land, was amazing. His goal was to bring awareness to their situation by using his talents in music, like Johnny Cash‘s Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian concept album, to get the message across. I have plenty more to say about the topic, but not enough space lol, so you can read this to find out more.