Tunes for Twangers
Music 305 A
A History of Country Music
Module VII ~ The Man in Black & Friends
Johnny Cash
Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson & Merle Haggard
Conway Twitty, Porter Wagoner, Hank Williams Jr.
& Randy Travis
This Module – shall focus upon a true icon of American music, Johnny Cash, the
Man in Black – and “friends”. The first set of “friends” – be they “outlaws” or
simply representative of progressive country and interesting lives include
Willie, Waylon, Kris & Merle. As
with Module 5 – we shall deal with these “friends” first. We shall then
visit Mr. Cash – and close this module with a somewhat disparate group of other
“friends” also of import to country music – Conway Twitty,
Porter Wagoner, Hank Williams Jr. & Randy Travis.
Outlaws ~ Progressive – or just Interesting
Willie Nelson
- versatile, enduring, influential
- grew up in central Texas
- early influences – Grand Ole Opry; Ernest Tubb – Texas honky tonks; Bob
Wills – western swing, polka
- briefly in Air Force
- first of several marriages
- began worked as a DJ in Texas and Vancouver [Washington]
- by the 1950’s – writing songs [early examples – Night Life & Family
Bible]
- 1960 moved to Nashville
- blossomed into one of Nashville’s most gifted and prolific writers
- “Crazy” immortalized by Patsy Cline
- 1964 became a member of the Grand Ole Opry
- 1970 – moved back to Texas
- friendship with Waylon Jennings – “outlaw movement” – duets
- duets include – Good Hearted Woman and Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to
be Cowboys
- Red-Headed Stranger album – Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain
- unique vocal style, songwriter, bandleader, movie actor
- Highwayman with Waylon, Kris & Johnny Cash
- social causes [FarmAid]
- promoter [Willie Nelson Picnic]
- one of a kind
Waylon Jennings
- born in west Texas
- as a teenager, became bass player for the incredibly popular Buddy Holly
- gave up his seat on the airplane – the night Holly was killed
- bit of a decline after Holly’s death
- began performing again in Phoenix – heard by Bobby Bare – called Chet Atkins
in Nashville
- moved to Nashville and became roommates with Johnny Cash
- did not “play well with others” in Nashville
- stayed true to musical instincts
- won battle for artistic freedom
- Highwayman with Willie, Kris & Johnny Cash
- began having incredible success – record sales, financial
- substance abuse issues
- recovered
- promoted education – was a high school dropout – late in life completed GED
Kris Kristofferson
- born in Brownsville, Texas
- son of an Air Force major general
- Rhodes Scholar
- Army captain and helicopter pilot – before music
- immediately prior to beginning an appointment teaching English at West Point
resigned commission
- moved to Nashville, started as a janitor for Columbia studios
- started developing a unique style as a song writer
- inspired by romantic poets, folk-poet troubadours – sense of alienation and
loss
- celebrated the inconsistency of the 1960’s regarding freedom, honesty and sex
Early Hits
Me and Bobby McGee [Roger Miller] – also recorded by Janis Joplin
For the Good Times [Ray Price]
Sunday Morning Coming Down [Johnny Cash]
- as a recording artist – uneven success
- Highwayman with Willie, Waylon & Johnny Cash – huge success
- movie actor
- lives in southern California – continues acting, song writing, occasional
touring
Merle Haggard
- born in Bakersfield, California
- legend
- next to Hank Williams – most influential singer-song writer in history of
country music
- extremely versatile artist
- influenced by Jimmie Rodgers, Lefty Frizzell and
Bob Wills
- mother was a fundamentalist Christian, somewhat overbearing
- by time he was 21, had been in reform schools, local jails, worked, started a
family, began singing
- eventually ended in San Quentin
- finally paroled and started playing bass in Las Vegas for Wynn Stewart
- recorded with Tally, Capitol, MCA, Epic and then went to Curb
- number of total albums; solo over 70; with others – over 150
- has written 38 #1 songs
- has been recorded by over 400 artists
- erratic business and personal life
- giant in the business
Johnny Cash ~ The Man in Black
John R. “Johnny” Cash (1932-2003)
Quite possibly, the most recognizable
voice in all of country music belongs to "The Man in Black," Johnny Cash.
His forays into the fields of country, folk, rock and even gospel music,
distinguish Cash as one of the most intriguing performers in all of 20th
century popular music. In addition to one of the most impressive musical
careers of all time, he enjoyed success and garnered tremendous respect as an
author, actor and Biblical scholar.
Locusts and honey – not since John the
Baptist has there been a voice like that crying in the wilderness. Every man
knows he is a sissy compared to Johnny Cash. [U2 singer Bono]
His vocal style has always been one of
the most distinctive and his songs and recordings are amongst some of the most
memorable ever. [Former Beatle Paul McCartney]
Over the course of his career, he received 11 Grammy awards. He was inducted
into the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the
Songwriters' Hall of Fame. He received the Kennedy Center Honors, and the
National Medal of the Arts.
- born in Kingsland, Arkansas
- age 3, family moved to Dyess government resettlement
colony – northeast Arkansas
- father – Ray, mother – Carrie, six children
- older brother Jack – accident and died at age 14 – affected “JR”
- as a child – listened to country music shows from Memphis; heard Carter
Family, Hank Snow
- enlisted in Air Force – served four years – wrote early classics “Folsom
Prison Blues” and “Hey Porter”
- in 1954, settled in Memphis, married – became an appliance salesman
- desire to be a musician
- met and started working with Luther Perkins [electric guitar] and Marshall
Grant [Bass] ~ Tennessee Two
- auditioned for Sam Phillips – legendary Sun Records as gospel artist – no-go
- early releases – Hey Porter; Cry, Cry, Cry; So
Doggone Lonesome and Folsom Prison Blues
- then signature tune ~ I Walk the Line [#1]
- 1956 appeared on the Grand Ole Opry
- moved to California
- left Sun Records for Columbia
- producer Don Law encouraged him to seek new directions
- began concept albums
- explored cowboy songs, traditional spirituals, gospel, protest songs and
folksongs
- Bob Dylan – Newport Folk Festival
- mid/late 1960’s increasing substance abuse problem
- June Carter helps overcome demons – they marry in 1968
- Folsom Prison Live Album [#1] – San Quentin – true crossover appeal
- primetime television program
- Sunday Morning Coming Down [#1] from the television program [written by K.
Kristofferson]
- throughout 60’s, 70’s and 80’s toured extensively – all-star troupe
- Mother Maybelle Carter, Carter Sisters, Statler Brothers
- acting career in films
- 1980 – youngest living inductee in to the Country Music Hall of Fame
- 1985 – Highwayman [#1] with Willie, Waylon & Kris
- left Columbia records in 1986 [nasty break-up]
- recorded [with no great success] with Mercury until 1992
- switched to American Recordings and producer Rick Rubin in 1994
- albums American I, II, III, IV & V [after his death]
- 1995 – Rock and Roll Hall of Fame [one of but a handful in both]
- 1996 Kennedy Center Honoree for performing artists, writers, and composers
- “Hurt” video
As an author – his 1975 autobiography Man In Black sold 1.3 million
copies. He surprised fans and critics alike in 1986 by writing Man in White,
a best-selling novel based on the life of
His wife of 35 years, June Carter Cash, died from complications
following heart surgery in May, 2003. Johnny Cash followed her in death four
months later, succumbing to respiratory failure after a long struggle with
diabetes. Even in death, Johnny Cash remains a powerful force in American
culture. Only two years after his passing, a motion picture
based on his life, Walk the Line, enjoyed worldwide critical and popular
success. The film generated a revival of interest in his life and work,
assuring that another generation would find inspiration in the timeless sound
of the Man in Black.
from Billy Graham
One entertainment personality whose
friendship Ruth and I have particularly valued is country music singer Johnny
Cash along with his wife, June Carter Cash. Johnny has won just about every
award in his field and his distinctive voice is loved by millions around the
world. Some years ago, Johnny and June started coming to our Crusades to sing,
and their presence and witness to Christ have drawn countless people to
meetings who might not otherwise have come. We have laughed together and cried
together as families, sharing each other’s burdens during times of illness and
heartache. We’ve been guests in each other’s homes on many occasion and
vacationed together from time to time. We have no better friends than Johnny
and June.
Now the other set of “friends” who much be mentioned – and it is hard coming on
the heels of our discussion of the Man in Black – but persist we must …..
Conway Twitty, Porter Wagoner, Hank Williams Jr.
& Randy Travis
Conway Twitty (1933-1993)
Signature Tune ~ Hello Darlin’
- more #1 country records than any artist in history
- career spanned five decades
- son of a Mississippi ferryboat captain
- talented baseball player – scouted by the Philadelphia Phillies
- drafted
- headed to Memphis and Sun Records [Sam Phillips]
- “Rockabilly”
- pop success – Mona Lisa, It’s Only Make Believe, Danny Boy, Lonely Blue Boy,
et al
- signed with Owen Bradley and Decca [skeptical because of his pop background]
- duets with Loretta Lynn [Louisiana Woman – Mississippi Man, After the Fire is
Gone, et al]
- supported young artists [Reba McIntire, Vince Gill, Naomi Judd, Kathy Mattea, et al]
- very successful financially
Porter Wagoner (born 1927)
Signature Tune ~ Please Don’t Stop Loving Me [with Dolly Parton]
- born in Howell County, Missouri [Ozark Mountains]
- farm boy – background in ancient English ballads
- formed the Blue Ridge Boys Bluegrass Band – singing while he also cut meat
- signed with RCA records
- 1956 moved to Nashville
- 1957 joined the Grand Ole Opry
- 1960 – syndicated television show [which ran until 1981] featured Willie,
Waylon, Tex Ritter and others
- 1967 joined with Dolly Parton
- television and film appearances
- since 1992 – [R. Acuff’s death] has served as
unofficial “spokesman” for the Grand Ole Opry
- he is still alive, still performing and still recording [2006 release of new
Gospel CD]
Hank Williams Jr. (born 1949)
Randall Hank Williams ~ Hank Jr.
- born in Shreveport
- Daddy’s Boy
- challenge to be an artist in his own right
- was only 3 ½ years old when Hank Sr. died
- nickname “Bocephus” came from Hank Sr.
- grew up in Nashville
- stage debut at 8; Grand Ole Opry debut at 11;
recording debut at 14
- early career orchestrated by Audrey [mother] – huge financial benefit to
“cash-in” on Hank Sr. legacy
- manipulated by mother and producers to look and sing like Hank Sr.
- in mid 1970’s started to assert his independence from the legacy of Hank Sr.
- tragic fall – mountain in Montana
- moves towards southern rock – outlaw [songs like All My Rowdy Friends Are
Coming Over Tonight]
- incredible musicianship – ability
- great performer
Randy Travis (born 1959)
- born in Marshville, North Carolina
- shy
- in 1986 began to change the course of country music
- along with artists such as Reba McEntire, Risky
Skaggs and George Strait
- “hard-country” regeneration
- precursor of “sex appeal” in male stars in the 1990’s and 2000’s
- guitar learned from father
- early influenced by Hank Williams Sr. and Lefty Frizzell
- began substance abuse problems at an early age
- influence of Elizabeth “Lib” Hatcher – manager of nightclub in Charlotte
where he performed
- Travis and Hatcher move to Nashville in 1981
- success eluded him
- in 1985 – first recordings
- string of huge hits [Forever and Ever Amen from the Always and Forever album]
- Travis and Hatcher married in 1990
- recording, acting – more to come
Listening
Hello Darlin': Conway Twitty
A Country Boy Can Survive: Hank Williams Jr.
Forever and Ever Amen: Randy Travis
Johnny Cash
Ring of Fire
I Walk the Line
Folsom Prison Blues
Daddy Sang Bass
In the Jail House Now