Thoughts on Rockabilly

[Doctor Jeff]

What about some FEMALE rockabilly like Wanda?

[Doctor Jeff]

Rosie Flores is one of my favourites.

Imelda May, too. For a while she was married to Daryl Higham who himself was an exceptional rockabilly picker. I really enjoyed Imelda May's double tracked Mary Ford tunes on the tribute to Les Paul concert. But that's getting away from Rockabilly.

Hey, this is rockabilly. It's got slapback echo, reverb, a standup bass, uptempo, and ATTITUDE. And Jeff and Imelda ;-)

[digger]

It's a great DVD. Haven't watched it in a long time - I recall being really impressed with the drummer. Well impressed with all of them, of course!

[wolflen]

ahhh..so this is another "what is ____" thread..

it seems the marketing folks win again..I doubt many of the musicians/singers knew they were "rockabilly"

jerry lee lewis..really..pure country and some way back folk tunes before "whole lotta shaken" ..Goodnight Irean..1933 written by huddie ledbetter ( ledbelly)..
and some hank williams- early1950's --"You Win Again"--the B side to the Great Balls of Fire-45

the term itself an amalgam of Rock & Hillbilly..(called "country&western before the merger on many jukeboxes and many local DJ's) ... that term may be considered offensive to some today..

of course the marketing dept could not be stopped..think early Dylan pure folk..plays electric.."folk-rock"..If "Toumbstone Blues" qualifies as such.."..Im going back to New York City.."

and as one post shows what marketing did to the "Metal" genre

Jeff Beck a rock guitar god..but can play other styles...as some posted him with a "jazz box) gibby 175?..doing some nice elvis riffs..

..I have been called a fusion/jazz/prog rock player and most of the time I wonder..." what did I play to make someone hear those styles?"

[MarkRhodes]

ahhh..so this is another "what is ____" thread..

No. It isn't. It's an invitation to share one's thoughts on rockabilly.

Originally the term meant "rock and roll by hillbillies." "Hillbilly" was a term for country music dating back to the '40s.

But this is 2021. Some people are influenced (to varying degrees) by rockabilly. Others are not so much influenced by it but remain appreciative of certain bands / records that are termed rockabilly.

[Vladan]

... Originally the term meant "rock and roll by hillbillies." "Hillbilly" was a term for country music dating back to the '40s....

I only attended one "real rockabilly" gig. Jerry Lee, The Killer, sometime btw 89-92, can't remember exactly. Before that, I was at Matchbox arround 81-83. Matchbox I file as "revival" (as opposed to "real"), together with Stray Cats and so on.

Matchbox were pure r'n'r, as far as I can remember.

The Killer, he was great, trashing piano, screaming ... However, I was quite surprised, not to say disappointed with his band. I remember thinking and expressing opinion, they sounded like country musicians trying to play blues rock but not being able to break from their usual routine. In reality, they were probably session guys, hired ad hoc for low profile tour.


My Band camp

[neatomic]

roots of rockabilly...the delmore and louvin brothers were big influences on everly brothers and other later r&r artists

hillbilly boogie

cheers

[neatomic]

th original -suzie q- by dale hawkins..with the great james burton on guitar (when he was only around 16-17 years old!)

cheers

[MarkRhodes]

roots of rockabilly...the delmore and louvin brothers were big influences on everly brothers and other later r&r artists

hillbilly boogie

That sounds more like Western Swing to me.

Not a criticism.

Funny to hear Jerry Lee Lewis called rockabilly. I never heard him called that growing up and I grew up among people who were Jerry Lee Lewis fans. I've heard him all my life. I always thought of him as rock'n'roll, not rockabilly.

[neatomic]

That sounds more like Western Swing to me.

Not a criticism.

it's really all one..blues to western swing to rockabilly to r&r...the influences melded

here's bill haley..he started as western swing...before groundbreaking rock around the clock...



as per delmore brothers- some random facts

Bob Dylan was quoted in the Chicago Tribune, on November 10, 1985 as saying "The Delmore Brothers, God, I really loved them! I think they've influenced every harmony I've ever tried to sing.


Their "Freight Train Boogie" (recorded for the King label in 1946) is regarded by some as the first rock and roll record. Their best-known song, "Blues Stay Away From Me" (also on King, 1949), was covered by Johnny Burnette and The Rock and Roll Trio, Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps, The Louvin Brothers, The Browns, Les Paul and Mary Ford, Doc Watson, The Notting Hillbillies, Marshall Chapman, and The Everly Brothers.


The Delmore Brothers were inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in October 1971, as well as the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001. Their pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.

cheers

[MarkRhodes]

it's really all one..blues to western swing to rockabilly to r&r...the influences melded...

Great post, as usual.
I'm all about melding influences.

[Doctor Jeff]

as per delmore brothers- some random facts

Bob Dylan was quoted in the Chicago Tribune, on November 10, 1985 as saying "The Delmore Brothers, God, I really loved them! I think they've influenced every harmony I've ever tried to sing.


Their "Freight Train Boogie" (recorded for the King label in 1946) is regarded by some as the first rock and roll record. Their best-known song, "Blues Stay Away From Me" (also on King, 1949), was covered by Johnny Burnette and The Rock and Roll Trio, Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps, The Louvin Brothers, The Browns, Les Paul and Mary Ford, Doc Watson, The Notting Hillbillies, Marshall Chapman, and The Everly Brothers.


The Delmore Brothers were inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in October 1971, as well as the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001. Their pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.

cheers

I was about to say, well that's country boogie, but it ain't rock n roll, but doggonit when that guitar comes in it's pure rockabilly. You can see where Bill Kirchen got his inspiration. BTW, the Delmore Brothers grew up not too far from where my father did in northern Alabama. Tough times in the 30's and 40's in that place--anybody got out who could.

It's probably not wise to split things too much--just lump 'em all together. It's all good.

Here is another great version of that song with Marty Stuart (planning to play in Omaha in October--please, please...):

Also of course the great Doc Watson, who was no slouch at rockabilly hisself:

[MarkRhodes]

Here is another great version of that song with Marty Stuart (planning to play in Omaha in October--please, please...):

I'm having a senior moment here and can't recall the name of Marty's guitarist. He's the one I posted a video of on another thread talking about flatwound strings on Teles and such. (Luther Perkins with Johnny Cash always played flatwounds. He was not alone.) Guy can play.

Neatomic, can you help me out here?

[citizenk74]

I'm having a senior moment here and can't recall the name of Marty's guitarist. He's the one I posted a video of on another thread talking about flatwound strings on Teles and such. (Luther Perkins with Johnny Cash always played flatwounds. He was not alone.) Guy can play.

Neatomic, can you help me out here?

Makin' that Jaguar sound mighty fine!

[MarkRhodes]

Makin' that Jaguar sound mighty fine!

Kenny Vaughan! That's his name.

[MarkRhodes]

[MarkRhodes]

[AllanAllen]

I'm having a senior moment here and can't recall the name of Marty's guitarist. He's the one I posted a video of on another thread talking about flatwound strings on Teles and such. (Luther Perkins with Johnny Cash always played flatwounds. He was not alone.) Guy can play.

Neatomic, can you help me put here?

Kenny Vaughn

[gcb]

More melding. M. Stuart, Rockabilly bass and country picker Flacke

[steve burchfield]

I met Ray at a Hellacasters Concert in Nashville at the Exit Inn many years ago and Ray told me Ritchie Blackmoor was one of his favorite guitarists and that his playing reminded him of a snake charmer. Ray was well known for some really good pedal steel licks without a bender. He put out a Hot Licks tape years ago that was very good. I had a friend who owned about 30 different telecasters who won the raffle that night for a free G and L telecaster! Go figure!

[steve burchfield]

Nobody's stopping you.

how do you transfer a video from you tube to JGO at the correct place? I would really like to know.

[steve burchfield]

I remember doing a gig with an Elvis impersonator but with real Jordonaires as the backup singers. I had to learn the show quickly and did not learn all of it in time for the show. One of The Jordanaires gave me hand signals behind his back for the changes. It might have Love Me Tender. Have many other members done tribute type gigs? I read that the Jordanaires were some of the first people to use the Nashville number system in the studio. Sun studio is a tourist attraction in Memphis and early RCA studio on Music Row is an tourist attraction in Nashvegas. Its interesting to see that early recording equipment. Those old echo chambers were big concrete boxs that signal was sent through. Im not sure about plate echo maybe someone else could describe how it works? I do remember when bands would buy an acetate or hot vinyl of the early sessions. I remember recording at Ardent in Memphis. I believe Jeff Beck and ZZ Top recorded there. Some bands recorded at American studios were Reggie Young used to work. There is also a Stax/Volt studio museum but I dont know how much is original. I worked with Charlie Rich quite a bit,he was an original Sun artist with Mohair Sam. I was once booked in Shea Stadium with Charlie. He could play pretty good jazz piano when he wanted to.

[gcb]

Having fun with these rockabilly videos pulled my MIA P bass with GHS flatwounds and playing along.

[44lombard]

I worked with Charlie Rich quite a bit,he was an original Sun artist with Mohair Sam. I was once booked in Shea Stadium with Charlie. He could play pretty good jazz piano when he wanted to.

Rich was so soulful! I love his work from Sun in the 1950s through the mid-1970s stuff on Columbia. He always brought some Memphis into even his most Nash-Vegas records.

Rich's arrangement of "Nice and Easy" caught Alex Chilton's ear, and Chilton recorded it and played it live for a while (in additional to keeping "Lonely Weekends" in his set list). Artists like Rich and Snooks Eaglin (and Chilton) who move between genres with no fear are awesome.

[MarkRhodes]

[QUOTE=steve burchfield;1090235 I read that the Jordanaires were some of the first people to use the Nashville number system in the studio. [/QUOTE]

I've read that too. Can't recall where off the top of my head.