Country/Folk Singer Songwriters of the '70s

[Winter's Claw]

Is anyone a fan of any of the following country/folk singer-songwriters?:

Bobby Bare
Guy Clark
Joe Ely
Gary Stewart
Steve Young
Hoyt Axton
David Allan Coe
Terry Allen
Mickey Newbury
Tom T. Hall
Lee Clayton
Jonathan Edwards
Billy Joe Shaver
Tompall Glaser

Long list, I know. Most of these guys were on the fringe of the mainstream music scene, but some of them had a fair amount of success. Does anybody own any of these guys' albums or greatest hits records? What do you think of 'em?

[fezo]

I probably have at least one album by more than half of those guys! Let's see..... I think I'm only missing Steve Young, Mickey Newbury (though I've got stuff I know with his songs on it), Lee Clayton and Tompall Glaser.

That's a great list.

I'm a big fan of Hoyt Axton. Sad to say I never got to see him live. Actually I haven't seen any of those folks live but the majority are still with us. I know Gary Stewart isn't but the rest...

Gary was probably the best honky tonk singer there was. Word is he was completely unpredictable so if you went to a show he might not show, he might show drunk beyond being capable of performing or he might show up and give you the best live show you;ve ever seen.

[Affair on Touhy Ave.]

I know Axton wrote Greenback Dollar and ever I've Never Been To Spain.

He probably did his own versions of them though I never heard them.

[Winter's Claw]

I think Hoyt did at least two different studio versions of "Never Been to Spain." I think I've heard them both. Three Dog Night's version of the song is a bit overblown; Hoyt's version is pretty laid-back. He also wrote "Joy to the World," "The Pusher," "Snowblind Friend" and more. He also played the dad in the movie 'Gremlins'! He told his son not to feed that thing after midnight, but...

[fezo]

Hoyt wrote a lot of great stuff - even the No No Song made famous (notorious?) by Ringo. In the acting department he had a great guest appearance as Jennifer's long lost boyfriend on WKRP in Cincinnati.

[BendRick]

The only two names I recognize on that list are Tom T.Hall & Hoyt Axton. I've got the Tom T.Hall 45 with "I like beer," and "Faster horses," and I have the Hoyt Axton LP, "A rusty old halo." My favorite song on that is "Della and the Dealer." Also, Hoyt Axton appeared in the movie "The Patriot."

[Winter's Claw]

RenoRick,
Most of the guys I listed are lesser-knowns, so I'm not too surprised you only know a couple of them. Many of them are more known for writing songs for other people than for their own recording careers. For example, Mickey Newbury wrote "An American Trilogy," which Elvis did at almost every concert, and Steve Young wrote "Seven Bridges Road," which the Eagles had a minor hit with.

[brink-]

Mickey Newberry was mentioned in a Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings. I don't offhand remember the song though.

[Winter's Claw]

brink-
The song is "Luckenbach, Texas" from 1977. The line is:
"Between Hank Williams' pain songs
And Newbury's train songs
And "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain"
Out in Luckenbach, Texas
There ain't nobody feeling no pain."

[Borderstone]

I have one song by Tom T. Hall and that's "I Love" (or as some may call it "Little Baby Ducks" :D LOL! )

As for Hoyt Axton,he wrote 3 Dog Nights,"Joy To The World".

I may have songs written by those other guys but done by other acts. As for whole LP's,I've only seen Bobby Bare but can't recall it's name.

[brink-]

Originally posted by Winter's Claw:
brink-
The song is "Luckenbach, Texas" from 1977. The line is:
"Between Hank Williams' pain songs
And Newbury's train songs
And "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain"
Out in Luckenbach, Texas
There ain't nobody feeling no pain."

How could I forget that? Remember when that song was constantly on the radio? What a great song, and they sounded great together singing it.

[Cathy]

Didn't Jonathan Edwards sing 'Sunshine go away today... don't feel much like smiling... How much does it cost, I'll buy it. The time is almost lost, I'll try it. You can't even run your own life, I'll be damned if you run mine. Sunshine..." Or something like that. I remember liking that song back in the late 60s.

[Winter's Claw]

Originally posted by Cathy:
Didn't Jonathan Edwards sing 'Sunshine go away today... don't feel much like smiling... How much does it cost, I'll buy it. The time is almost lost, I'll try it. You can't even run your own life, I'll be damned if you run mine. Sunshine..." Or something like that. I remember liking that song back in the late 60s.

Yep. That's a great song; I think it's from around 1971. His first few albums from the early '70s are supposed to be pretty good.

[Jim Nasium]

Tom T Hall had some success as a songwriter some years ago, Jeannie C Riley had a big hit with Harper Valley PTA, written by Tom. Also he has a beautiful little song to his name, Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine, I could recommend his CD, Tom T Hall, Nashville Storyteller, very good CD with some live recordings.

[Jesse Joe]

Only 2 songwriters I know of on that list. And they are Tom T. Hall and Hoyt Axton.

Not to familiar with there music, except Tom T. Hall the one about I love Little baby Ducks. lol

Didn't know that Hoyt Axton wrote, Joy To The World, by: 3 Dogs Night. Heard that song hundreds of time.

Thanks B Stone, I guess one learns something new everyday...

[ January 10, 2007, 15:54: Message edited by: Jesse-Joe ]

[Borderstone]

Yer welcome Jess! Also in the 3 Dog Night category is Songwriter/singer Randy Newman who wrote,"Mama Told Me Not To Come". Randy sang "Short People" in 1977.

My favorite song by them though is "Shambabla". While not a #1 it was a top five hit and I never get tired of it!

[fezo]

Oh, Jonathan Edwards early work was great. I have a live album with some of the really good stuff though still need the studio ones to get things like Honky Tonk Stardust Cowboy.

Looking at that list I remember a great combination of those talents when Gary Stewart covered Mickey Newbury's Hand Me Another of Those. If you like really depressing country music (I do!) this is for you. Put away all sharp impliments.

A great album in 70s country was Lullabyes, Legends and Lies by Bobby Bare. All the songs were written by Shel Silverstein. Great piece of work.

[Patti]

My older sister was/is a big Jonathan Edwards fan, so I used to listen to a lot of his music with her when we lived close by. My younger sister was/is a big Hoyt Axton fan. I got to see him live when I lived in Oregon. Thanks to The Rez, I have some Mickey Newbury music. All very good music.

[fezo]

I envy you seeing Hoyt Axton live. Always meant to and never did.

For people that were great live but you can't see anymore my favorite was likely John Hartford. TAlented as all get out and very down to earth. I got to talk to him a fair bit back in the mid 70s. One thing he said is that the royalties from Gentle on My Mind let him do whatever he wanted because the things he really needed were paid for. He said he liked touring on his own and he was taking classes to be a river boat pilot. He achieved that second goal as well.

[Winter's Claw]

There are quite a few songwriters from that era who made a large chunk of their money from the royalties of a hit song they wrote but someone else recorded. Steve Goodman always said that Arlo Guthrie's hit version of "City of New Orleans" "saved my ass." I imagine a great deal of John Stewart's income came courtesy of "Daydream Believer" royalties. The list goes on...

[Borderstone]

I'm sure Neil Diamond gets sizeable royalties everytime the radio plays,"I'm A Believer" (Monkees/Anne Murray),"Red Red Wine" (UB-40),"Kentucky Woman" (Deep Purple) and maybe others.

He may never have a hit again but he sure wont want for $$$.

[fezo]

I know DAydream Believer has been John Stewart's big source of income for some time. He still tours even with the replacement knees.

Steve Goodman was really special. Incredible shame taht he was taken so young. I am sure City of New Orleans has kept his family well taken care of. Thanks to his friendship with John Prine almost all of Steve's releases are available on CD through Oh Boy records.

[Winter's Claw]

Yeah, Steve Goodman had incredible energy, which is amazing considering that he had leukemia throughout his career. Great guitar player, too.

[Patti]

Hi Fezo,
Yeah, it was a good day seeing Hoyt Axton. One of the best days I had. I remember thinking what a good day it was.
I wonder how John Stewart likes the knees now. I might have to get some new ones someday. I can still walk and run, but forget squats and lundges. John Stewarts voice is pretty cool. Thanks for the "long list", Winter's Claw.

[Terry Allan Hall]

Big fan of Bobby Bare, Guy Clark, Joe Ely, Hoyt Axton, Mickey Newbury, Tom T. Hall, Jonathan Edwards, Billy Joe Shaver and Tompall Glaser...the other guys were OK, but these fellows were above and beyond.

Opened for Axton on many occasions, Clark and Shaver on a few...all three were/are very nice folks!