Mr. Charley Pride Still Delivers The Goods…After Five Decades.
What can I say about Charley Pride that hasn’t already been said before by countless musical artists over an astonishing 53-year recording career? One thing is certain though: Pride still enjoys performing on stage for his legions of fans worldwide…. at 85 years young, mind you!
Still touring behind his 2017 album Music In My Heart, Pride and his tight-as-nails band have their work cut out for them as far as creating a set list at this point. To their credit, they manage to pull it off with a majority of the audience in attendance.
Kicking off their 90-minute, 25-song set with an instrumental Big Mamou, Pride takes the stage for the night’s second song The Snakes Crawl At Night (from Pride’s debut album Country, 1966) to roaring applause from the Chandler, AZ. crowd on June 14th at Wild Horse Pass Casino.
And the classics kept rolling: songs like The Happiness of Having You, A Whole Lotta Things To Sing About, and Is Anybody Goin’ To San Antone? are just as viable today as they were upon their initial release.
Next, Pride took a minute to welcome and thank the audience for “spending your Friday evening with us.” As the show progressed, you get the sense that Pride comes off as authentic and appreciative for what he’s achieved.
Combine that with a great (and dry) sense of humor, it’s no wonder why he’s been able to sustain the career he has for so long.
Musically, Pride also proved that he doesn’t have to write every song himself in order to make them his own. Throughout the night, several covers found their way into the set such as Kris Kristofferson’s Me and Bobby McGee and Dolly Parton’s God’s Coloring Book.
Two of the covers played were in medley form, unfortunately. Still, he did justice to the late Merle Haggard (I’m A Lonesome Fugitive) and Johnny Cash (Folsom Prison Blues). I’m sure both were grinning from ear-to-ear.
Interestingly, only one song was played from his latest release, Music To My Heart, that being New Patches. Still, it’s good to see that he feels strongly on recording new music when the opportunity arises. Word has it that he’s working on another album this year, which hopefully we’ll hear sometime in 2020.
If there was a “moving” moment in the show, it would have to be when Pride introduced Mississippi Cotton Picking Delta Town (from Pride of America, 1974) as “a song about slaves.” It shows that, while we’ve come a long way in history, there’s still plenty of work that needs to be done yet.
The night concluded with Pride’s biggest pop hit Kiss An Angel Good Mornin’, followed by Hank Williams’ Kaw-Liga, and Cotton Fields. I was surprised that I’m Just Me wasn’t played. However, he still found a happy medium of various material that pleased longtime fans.
The significance of Charley Pride’s music can never be overstated. Do yourself a favor and go see him while you still can. I’m confident that you won’t be disappointed.
Four out of five stars.
Charley Pride Set List:
Big Mamou
The Snakes Crawl At Night
The Happiness of Having You
A Whole Lotta Things To Sing About
Is Anybody Goin’ To San Antone?
Just Between You and Me
Crystal Chandelier
Does My Ring Hurt Your Finger?
All I Have To Offer You (Is Me)
Me and Bobby McGee
Wonder Could I Live There Anymore
Mississippi Cotton Picking Delta Town
Wings of a Dove
Burgers and Fries
You’re My Jamaica
Medley: Your Cheatin’ Heart, Love Sick Blues, Roll on Mississippi
Mountain of Love
Medley: Together Again, I’m a Lonesome Fugitive, Folsom Prison Blues, He Stopped Loving Her, Good Hearted Woman
God’s Coloring Book
Gospel Medley: I’ll Fly Away, Church In The Wildwood, I Saw The Light, Will The Circle Be Unbroken, I’ll Fly Away (reprise)
New Patches
America The Great
Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’
Kaw-Liga
Cotton Fields
Val Tapia is a self-appointed critic and fan of music commentary and criticism. He’s a contributing music writer for online media site US Press Association.
You can also find his work in print and broadcasting on his blog, Music According To…ME! (https://musicaccordingtomeblog.wordpress.com).
She's baaaaack!!!!!!! Her #1 Dance album, Bounce, Hard, Dance rocked the world! It was Number One for the Year on the Digital Charts........
Check out Alexis Time's new video for the remix of Big Time People - It's up on youtube at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GyiIFOlj3Q
You can get the 4 remix album on googleplay.com at link - https://play.google.com/store/music/album/Alexis_Time_BIG_TIME_PEOPLE_THE_MIXES_BY_ALEXIS_TI?id=Bus7ycdqwqc5jqt352bedh2u3sm
The ballad version of this song was already an internet hit. These are the remixes, and the original, that give an internationally beloved song a new hot flavor!!!! Check it out!!!!
[Submitted by Lori Calbert]
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http://lorisaccessiblegourmetandrecipes.blogspot.com/2017/12/new-album-release-big-time-people-video.html
Travelin' Bluesman Tinsley Ellis
Travelin’ Man Tinsley Ellis‘ Total Recall tells the inside story of how his career began plus future predictions for the blues as a genre. The prolific southern blues-rocker is on top of his game today. But it wasn’t always that way.
Known as one of the best next generation blues-rock guitarists around, this busy southern man releases a new album annually. His latest Red Clay Soul, debuted as #1 on the June Living Blues Radio Charts
.On the road over 200 days per year includes a mix of criss-crossing the country as well as overseas. Taxing for some; impossible for most, this journeyman actually thrives on touring.
We caught up with Tinsley at the Iridium in New York for a one-on-one chat on his early years.
The Inside Back story
Tinsley started playing the Blues way before the resurgence of Blues music in the late ’70s to early ’80s. He was among the first of new generation musicians to come on the scene. This new crop of Blues cats included his friend Stevie Ray Vaughn, as well as Blues faves Robert Cray and The Fabulous Thunderbirds — to name a few.
I first met Tinsley in college in Atlanta, Georgia. He would play at our Fraternity House parties with a band called The Alley Cats (1979-1981), that included Preston Hubbard (The Fabulous Thunderbirds). We’d follow him around Atlanta at the local joints like Little 5 Points Pub and Moonshadow Saloon. I should point out that the drinking age was 18 back then, so no laws were broken.
Tinsley left The Alley Cats in 1981 to form his own band called “The Heartfixers (1982-1988). He was joined by veteran Blues singer and harp player Bob Nelson, a/k/a Chicago Bob, who remained in the band through 1984. Like The Alley Cats, Tinsley and The Heartfixers were mainstays on campus and a fixture at all the Frat parties; even the Frat Formal off-campus. They were also fixtures at all the clubs around Atlanta, too.
First Racially-Integrated Blues Band in the Georgia Area
What most people don’t know is that during that time, Georgia and Atlanta, too, were still very much old south. According to Tinsley, “All the black bands were playing at their clubs, and the white bands were playing at their designated clubs.”
“Chicago Bob had a pedigree which no one else had and still has,” says Tinsley. “He’s played with so many of the great Blues legends as Howlin’ Wolf, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Earl Hooker and Muddy Waters.”
Tinsley and Chicago Bob made kick-ass traditional southern blues music together and made significant inroads in Atlanta and the entire Georgia area; despite the obstacles put in front of them.
“We turned a whole generation of college kids onto the blues dating from the late ’70s to early ’80s. Now, there’s a whole lotta’ people doing it.” — Tinsley Ellis
Ever since, Tinsley puts out one new album a year. “I notice the people who do it, seem to do better. I figure if I keep hammering the fans with new information and new material, it will work for me, too,” he says.
A personal highlight of his 40 year career of electrifying blues — joining the Blues at Crossroads 2013 Tour: A Tribute to Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf. As the young southern rock guy on the tour, he strummed out licks with the likes of Bob Margolin, James Cotton, Kim Wilson and The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and Jody Williams.
Tinsley Ellis on The Future of the Blues?
Socially Sparked News: There seems to be a resurgence and escalating interest in Blues music. Do you think the Rolling Stones Blue and Lonesome album has something to do with this?
Tinsley: It always helps when a band like the Rolling Stones give lip service to blues albums so that’s gonna help it. Kinda’ thing happened when the Blues Brothers did their movie and all of a sudden the blues spiked up in pop culture.
Socially Sparked News: What’s your take on the Stones’ blues album?
Tinsley: To me, they did it right. The first time, they were like kids. Now, they sound like old blues guys.
Socially Sparked News: The future of the Blues?
Tinsley: Compared to Muddy & Howlin Wolf, the new generation better step up to the plate, ’cause those guys are still unsurpassed. I understand why those guys still play Muddy Waters, Willy Dixon & Howlin Wolf songs…’cause it’s still so much better than what we’re doing now. We’re all really good, but those guy are like WOW.
Socially Sparked News: Their are rumblings that Shemekia Copeland is primed to be the next Koko Taylor, queen of the blues. What’s your take?
Tinsley: In my opinion, Koko, BB King and Muddy Waters — they came up from a whole different era. When they passed away, they kind of retired the title, ’cause those guys — especially BB and Muddy — they were undisputed. Whereas if anybody would lay claim to that, it would probably be Buddy Guy and Shemkia Copeland. But, nobody’s come out and pronounced that, ’cause that’s a big claim.
Socially Sparked News: Maybe it’s Tinsley Ellis?
Tinsley: NO. (emphatically no). I am a Southern Blues-Rocker with Georgia Roots at my core. That’s my pedigree and how I prefer to be known.
Socially Sparked News: The future for Tinsley Ellis?
Tinsley: More songwriting & touring. Maybe getting some other acts on Heartfixer Music. Get some young’ins starting out and help get them produced. I’d like to try to find somebody who is good enough to play with me; somebody I can mentor, and polish up my production skills, too. It’s a delicate balance. If I really liked an artist and want them to do well, I’d probably call Bruce (Iglauer) first and give it to Alligator rather than trying to do it myself.
Tinsley Ellis’ blues highway continues. — Abbe Sparks is Socially Sparked. @sosparkednews #SociallySparked
[Submitted by Abbe Sparks]
