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Looking Back On Those We Lost In 2011

By K.F. Raizor

Here is a list of the people in the world of country music for whom the final curtain fell in 2011.

Harley Allen (lung cancer, March 30, age 55):  the son of bluegrass great Red Allen was a singer and songwriter on his own, having penned such songs as Dierks Bentley's "My Last Name," John Michael Montgomery's "The Little Girl" and Alan Jackson's "Between the Devil and Me."

Liz Anderson (heart and lung disease, October 28, age 81):  Lynn Anderson's mother had a career as a singer ("Mama Spank," "The Game of Triangles") and a songwriter ("(All My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers," her daughter's hit "If I Kiss You (Will You Go Away)," and Homer & Jethro's "I Crept Into the Crypt and Cried").

Kenny Baker (stroke, July 8, age 85):  he was Bill Monroe's fiddler for a quarter century, and some would argue that he was the best fiddler bluegrass ever saw.

Carl Bunch (complications of diabetes, March 26, age 71):  As a 19-year-old he was on tour as Buddy Holly's drummer and found himself in the hospital suffering from frostbite when Holly lost his life.  In the 60s he played drums with Hank Williams Jr. and Roy Orbison before retiring to the ministry.

Patsi Bale Cox (emphysema, November 5, age 66):  a gifted writer with a passion for country music, she wrote her own books (The Garth Factor) and collaborated with the likes of Loretta Lynn (Still Woman Enough), Tanya Tucker (Nickel Dreams) and Ralph Emery (50 Years Down a Country Road).

Jack Barlow (long illness, July 29, age 87):  a singer/songwriter with hits such as "I Love Country Music" and "Catch the Wind," he also recorded a novelty song, "The Man on Page 602," under the pseudonym Zoot Fenster.

Todd Cerney (cancer, March 14, age 57):  Songwriter behind the 2002 hit "Good Morning Beautiful" and "I'll Still Be Loving You."

Buddy Charleton (lung cancer, January 25, age 72):  No one needed Ernest Tubb to say, "Ah, Buddy now," when Charleton took a steel guitar break in an Ernest Tubb song because we all knew that distinctive sound that made songs such as "Waltz Across Texas" the classics they are.

Wilma Lee Cooper (natural causes, September 13, age 90):  100% pure country mountain music from start to finish, Wilma Lee started with husband Stoney and continued on the Opry after his death until a 2001 stroke left her unable to perform.

Charlie Craig (lung cancer, July 1, age 73):  Songwriter behind "She's Single Again" by Janie Fricke and "Wanted" by Alan Jackson.

Hazel Dickens (pneumonia, April 22, age 75):  A recipient of IBMA's Distinguished Achievement award, Hazel was the child of hard times in West Virginia who could articulate those emotions in song, then deliver them, like no one else.

Joel "Taz" DiGregorio (car wreck, October 12, age 67):  Charlie Daniel's keyboard player and songwriting partner for nearly 40 years, he wrote the fan favorite "The Devil Went Down to Georgia."

Charlie Douglas (ne Douglas China, unknown cause, November 24, age 78):  Charlie invented a new format for radio: the overnight "trucker" show.  He was a staple on New Orleans' WWL and Nashville's WSM.

Lamar Fike (non-Hodgken's lymphoma, January 21, age 75):  The second-longest tenured member of Elvis' "Memphis Mafia," he co-wrote Elvis and the Memphis Mafia.  He also served as Brenda Lee's road manager in the 60s and was a Capitol Records executive under Jimmy Bowen.

Billy Grammer (long illness, August 10, age 85):  A guitar designer and well-loved session man, he scored a huge hit in 1959 with "Gotta Travel On."

Marshall Grant (brain aneurysm, August 6, age 83):  The final member of Johnny Cash's seminal original backing band the Tennessee Two, he was stricken while preparing to perform at a show in Arkansas to raise money to preserve Cash's boyhood home.

Carlton Haney (stroke, March 16, age 82):  The name may not ring a bell, but every bluegrass fan is indebted to Haney.  He is credited with organizing bluegrass music's first festival.  He was also the booking agent for the likes of Bill Monroe and Reno & Smiley.

Warren Hellman (leukemia, December 18, age 77):  San Francisco businessman who founded and helped finance the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, which, with line-ups that included everyone from Elvis Costello to Hazel Dickens and the New Coon Creek Girls, was exactly what the name implied.

Ferlin Husky (colon cancer/congestive heart failure, March 17, age 85):  Simon Crum's best friend gave the world two massive crossover hits:  1957's "Gone" and 1960's "Wings of a Dove."  He died shortly after it was announced that his "A Dear John Letter" singing partner, Jean Shepard, was being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, an honor Husky received in 2010.

Gene Kurtz (cancer, October 24, age 68):  Co-writer of the hit "Treat Her Right," Kurtz spent many years playing in the Austin alt-country scene.

Charlie Louvin (pancreatic cancer, January 26, age 83):  The Louvin Brothers didn't invent harmony, they just made it sound that way.  After Ira's death in 1965 Charlie continued on a solo career that he once said was more commercially successful than the Louvin Brothers', but it's the unbelievable harmonies he made with Ira that will keep him forever in our hearts.

Wade Mainer (congestive heart failure, September 12, age 104):  Jethro Burns said in 1984 that Mainer belonged in the Hall of Fame because he was a true pioneer in the world of country music.  He was older than country music and served it faithfully for over 70 years.

Johnny Mathis (pneumonia, September 27, age 80):  Before there was a pop singer there was Country Johnny Mathis.  His partnership with Johnny Lee Fautheree as Jimmy & Johnny yielded the smash "If You Don't Somebody Else Will."  Songs he wrote were recorded by the likes of Ray Price, Johnny Paycheck, and George Jones.

Mel McDaniel (lung cancer, March 31, age 68):  Country singer and Opry member who had a string of hits in the 1980s including "Louisiana Saturday Night," "Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On," and "Big Ole Brew."

Huey Meaux (illness, April 23, age 82):  In addition to discovering the Sir Douglas Quintet he owned Sugar Hill Studios and introduced the world to "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights" by Freddy Fender.

Ralph Mooney (kidney cancer, March 20, age 82):  One of country music's greatest steel guitarists, he wrote Ray Price's classic "Crazy Arms" and played with the likes of Wynn Stewart,  Buck Owens and Waylon Jennings.

Roger Nichols (pancreatic cancer, April 9, age 66):  Steely Dan listed him as "the immortal" on their albums in the 1970s, but Nichols also worked with country acts including Rosanne Cash and John Denver (with whom he won a Grammy).

Joe Paul Nichols (Lou Gehrig's Disease, July 27, age 69):  One of the die-hard traditional country performers on the Heart of Texas label, he was also a member of the International Country Gospel Music Association.

James O'Gwynn (pneumonia, January 19, age 82):  Known as "the Smiling Irishman of Country Music," his best-known songs were "House of Blue Lovers" and "My Name is Mud."

Bobby Poe (blood clot, January 22, age 77):  Rockabilly performer who began his career as a member of Wanda Jackson's band.

Johnny Preston (heart failure, March 4, age 71):  His massive 1959 smash "Running Bear" (which was later covered by Sonny James) featured backing vocals and guitar work by George Jones and was written by "Beggar to a King" songwriter J.P. (Big Bopper) Richardson.

Jody Rainwater (ne Charles Johnson; complications of heart attack and other ailments, December 24, age 92):  The one-time bass player for Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs was also a longtime and well-loved disc jockey on WSVS in Virginia.

Billie Jo Spears (cancer, December 14, age 74):  Gifted singer with hits over three decades such as "Mr. Walker, It's All Over" and "Blanket on the Ground."

Dan "Bee" Spears (exposure after falling outside his home, December 8, age 62):  Willie Nelson's bassist for over four decades and the backbone of his band.

Joe Taylor (heart disease, March 24, age 89):  A Hoosier native who was content to play his music in Indiana instead of seeking national fame, he nevertheless found it when his song "He's a Cowboy Auctioneer" was recorded by Tex Ritter.

Buster Turner (unknown causes, March 3, age 82):  An east Tennessee-based country, bluegrass and gospel performer who gave us the classic song "Beautiful Altar of Prayer."

Don Wayne (illness, September 12, age 78):  Songwriter who wrote the classics "Country Bumpkin" and "Saginaw, Michigan."

Margaret Whiting (natural causes, January 11, age 86):  Primarily known as a pop singer, she hit the country charts numerous times as Jimmy Wakely's duet partner on hits like "Slippin' Around."

Doc Williams (natural causes, January 31, age 96):  A longtime member of the Wheeling Jamboree and influence on countless West Virginia country musicians such as Brad Paisley.

Jim Williamson (COPD, January 24, age 75):  Longtime recording engineer who worked on songs like "Coal Miner's Daughter," "Stand By Your Man" and "Rose Garden."

Randy Wood (complications of a fall, April 9, age 94):  The man who gave us Dot Records, early home of acts such as Mac Wiseman, Bonnie Guitar, Roy Clark and Barbara Mandrell.

Johnnie Wright (natural causes, September 27, age 97):  Mr. Kitty Wells had a long career with duet partner Jack Anglin as Johnnie & Jack as well as a successful solo career.

Paul Yandell (cancer, November 21, age 76):  A skinny kid who idolized Chet Atkins joined the Louvin Brothers' band in the 50s and eventually became Chet's right-hand guitarist and the last person to be designated a Certified Guitar Picker.

Farewell, and thank you for the music.

Independent scholar and free-lance writer since 1989, K.F. Raizor's work has appeared in "Lefthander" magazine and "Hard Country Beat", and hosted a column from 1994 until the magazine ceased publication in 1998. You can look forward to an upcoming project on Country Music Hall of Famers Homer and Jethro. Check out the country blog at Raizor's Edge.

That Nashville Sound’s Top Ten Albums of 2011

That Nashville Sound is looking back on the year behind us and thrilled to death that we live in a generation that has a near-limitless amount of music to choose from. Our favorite 2007 album was the Alison Krauss & Robert Plant album Raising Sand, the top spot on our 2008 list went to Lee Ann Womack’s Call Me Crazy, 2009 went to Eric Church's Carolina and last year Zac Brown Band’s You Get What You Give took home the top prize.

But 2011 had some terrific albums as well that will go down as some of my big music collection’s favorites. The ten albums are a wide variety of country genres from more contemporary country to traditional country. We present to you… That Nashville Sound’s Top Ten Albums of 2011…

 10. Jimmy Rankin - Forget About the World

Rankin’s solo career comes after winning awards galore in his native Canada as a member of the incredibly talented Rankin Family band. On this album, he tackles matters of seriousness and heartache with a seriousness that makes it a powerful collection. “The Hurtin’ Part” shows off the diverse range of his sincere voice and is as vulnerable a lyrical delivery as any performance this year. With great musicianship as a companion, the compositions probe matters of the heart with subtle effectiveness.

9. David Nail – Sound of a Million Dreams

As I wrote in Engine 145 earlier this year, the title track of Nail’s brand new album, is reminiscent of the best of those memorable 1980’s Billy Joel piano ballads. It’s no wonder that it was co-penned by country piano man Phil Vassar. The song utilizes terrific personal imagery to illustrate how songs make a powerful tie to the memories of our life. Nail links classics by Seger, Springsteen and Haggard to specific life experiences and then wishes aloud that his voice might do the same. The rest of the album does the same. As it was on his first album, Nail goes about the building of his albums in a personal and autobiographical way that allows us to see and hear his heart.

8. Stoney LaRue – Velvet

Each song is given an instrumentation treatment that makes it a unique experience for the ears. Whether it is the card shuffling percussion on “Travelin’ Kind,” the terrific harmonica on “Sharecropper,” the mariachi influence on “Te Amo Mas Que Va Vida” (I Love You More Than Life), the piccolo-ish whistle on “Wiregrass,” or the drowned out CB vocal opening and blazing fiddles on “Sirens,” each track is truly unique unto itself while still tying into a whole. The fact that Lee Ann Womack brings her heavenly vocals onto “Travelin’ Kind” is like the cherry on top. It is the title track that steals the show on the album, however. “Velvet” closes the curtain with a lush, warm, and sensual slow number that is not overly sexual, but one of those songs that is just perfect to hold your girl to. Sarah Buxton chiming in on background vocals just adds to the heat.

7. Justin Haigh – People Like Me

With a voice that consistently reminds of Tracy Lawrence, Justin Haigh’s People Like Me delivers up an incredible collection of 12 exceptional neo-traditional songs that make it easily one of the top ten albums thus far this year. With a collection of writers on board that any artist would cross deserts for- Randy Houser, Jerrod Niemann, Bobby Pinson, Kelley Lovelace, Erv Woolsey (George Strait’s manager), Mary Gauthier, and Jamey Johnson- the tracks worth mentioning are almost too many. “Monahans” and “In Jail” are detailed evocatively with a just enough humor to be stars. “All My Best Friends (Are Behind Bars), is solid country jukebox gold. Indie Texas music isn't supposed to be this good.

6. The Dirt Drifters – This Is My Blood

The blue collar themes are many across the album and they're not always championed- they're celebrated and lamented equally. It creates a more believable and realistic set of lyrics- and more personable because of it. On "Hurt Somebody," the band contrast beautiful ballad harmonies with the lyrics of self-destructive love. "You use your red lipstick like a loaded gun," are indicative of the great storytelling on this and other tracks. Gunsmoke, cheap perfume and gold bands on nightstands are the props on the outstanding story-song "Married Men and Hotel Rooms." It's a fantastic tale of lust, deception and the danger of a woman scorned. The great blue-collar champion himself, Willie Nelson, makes a delicious guest star on "I'll Shut Up Now" which then leads into the killer blue collar themed "Name On My Shirt." The song opens with the belief that a name sewn on a shirt is the trigger for a cursed life filled with dirt, grease and unfulfilled dreams. As the protagonist grows older, he realizes it as a badge of honor fulfilling a family legacy through a lifestyle and employment choice. It's beautifully well-written, smart and doesn't gloss over the hardships of rural living in its storytelling.

5. Vince Gill – Guitar Slinger

There are three truly phenomenal tracks on this album that will certainly go down as some of the best of the year. “Bread And Water” is the story of a homeless man—loosely based on Gill’s brother—who finds a kind place to eat and more importantly, a place to save his soul. The combination of death, forgiveness, salvation and redemption is stuff Gill does so incredibly well and this song delivers big time. (Anyone who argues with this just needs to listen to “Go Rest High on That Mountain” just one time.) “Old Lucky Diamond Hotel,” a delicious slice of Americana, was inspired by the razing of several classic Route 66 landmarks. It’s wrapped up in great, gritty 70s country themes like losing your virginity to a sweet Spanish stripper, filtered Pall Malls, pool shooting, and raising hell as a teenager. Gill gives the hotel more admiring description in four minutes than do most newspaper stories. At the end of the song, it’s hard not to lament that they’re demolishing a fictional location with such character. The last song in an outstanding trio of powerhouse tunes is the first song released to radio, “Threaten Me with Heaven.” This sure-fire ICM award-nominee was written by his wife Amy Grant, Dylan O’Brien, Will Owsley and Gill. Tragically, Owsley took his own life shortly thereafter and the power and emotional strength behind this song hints at something bigger at work if you’re so spiritually inclined. For Gill, the delivery of this song is extremely personal and it comes through in sound.

4. Miranda Lambert – Four the Record

Choosing just one favorite track off of Lambert’s outstanding new Four the Record album is a difficult task. No one does heartbreak kiss-offs quite like her, but up until “Dear Diamond,” those tracks were generally reserved for up-tempo rockers. She slows things way down here and laments to the ring on her hand that she’s chosen the wrong man: “You cost more than he wanted to lose / And with this ring I said I do / Promise to never do what I’ve done / I’ve lied to someone / Dear diamond.” The great twist—similar to the one she threw in at the end of “White Liar”—is that she’ll swallow this bitter truth and keep it a secret between only her and the diamond. (From Engine 145)

3. Lori McKenna – Lorraine

There may not be an I in team, but there sure is in songwriter.  And therein lies the strength of Lori McKenna’s new album, Lorraine. It’s a highly introspective collection told from a powerful and personal place. She has woven a patchwork of life moments- mostly relationship-oriented ones- that are hypnotically autobiographical. McKenna has channeled her own experiences into song and brought with them all of her own hopes and dreams. The songs bathe themselves in insecurities, vulnerabilities and celebrations of life. It results in an emotional history that a listener can actually feel and hear in sound.

2. Chris Young – Neon

This, Young’s third album, makes up the best the second-best mainstream release of the year. “Tomorrow,” “Flashlight,” and “Neon” are one-word studs in song- terrifically written tracks that are perfect for his voice. He’s co-written seven of the tracks and the album reveals how truly gifted he is as a songwriter. Young's vocals are rich, distinctive and powerful and impart just enough emotion to rope in the listener. His deep voice combines with a production that's traditional enough to command respect from the guys and with enough vulnerability to make the ladies... well let’s just say, my wife has a crush.

1. Pistol Annies – Hell on Heels

Hell on Heels is a set of ten songs that are rich in poor-redneck-women-power-empowerment that on the surface might seem like an urban vs. rural comparison that is currently cluttering up the radio airwaves right now. It’s so much richer. “Beige” is the color of the bride’s shotgun wedding dress and it is tender, innocent and oozes the naivety of the protagonist. “Lemon Drop” is the favorite of the album and compares the sucky early part of life where dreams and money are at opposite ends of the spectrum to the candy where you have to get through the sour part to get to the sweet. The ladies southern are phenomenal. Their sass and spitfire on “Bad Example” and “Takin’ Pills” are charming as can be. And the great writing and southern charm bleeds through any redneck reservations on “Trailer For Rent” and the post-mortem free-for-all of momma’s things in “Family Feud.”  Song after song shine with topics told from fascinatingly flawed characters. They’ve taken subjects that are typically associated with backwoods mentality and told stories with wit and grit that are smart as hell.

Emily West To Release I Love You, I Hate You This Week

After a recording contract that produced an entire album that was never heard by the public at Capital Records, Emily West is pleased as punch to be releasing new music to her fans this week with a new EP titled I Hate You, I Love You Again. The album will be released digitally to i-Tunes on Thursday, December 29, 2011.

For those that missed That Nashville Sound's Top 100 Songs of 2011, the truly terrific title track to this album came in at #11.

Emily West is one of the most gifted singers in Nashville and she’s also one of the hidden gems of all of the music world. Check out Emily’s performance of this new song in a video directed by Stephen Shepherd below.

I Hate You, I Love You, Again from stephen shepherd on Vimeo.

New Music Video From Kellie Pickler- "Unlock That Honky Tonk"

A Christmas Prayer From That Nashville Sound

Each year, my family gathers nearly 60 family members for a holiday dinner in which I am in charge of reading a family prayer written specifically for the night- a tradition that goes back nearly 50 years with my grandfather. To wish all of my That Nashville Sound readers a very warm Christmas holiday, I thought today's post would be my family prayer shared with my family of readers. We wish all of you the very best of holidays filled with family, friends and food.

Dear Heavenly Father,

As we gather here today with immediate family, extended relatives, friends and neighbors, let us remember why we come together to spend this day. As I look at their faces and remember their stories- our stories- feelings of gratitude wash over us for the blessings too many to count. Sure, there have been challenges. Our journey is fraught with fear and anxiety. But just as you have provided a canopy of love and forgiveness over this life, a compass of faith that shows us the path, you have surrounded us with these loved ones that have acted like guiding posts on our travels. In the times that we have been oblivious to this support network you have provided, please forgive. For the times we have not accepted this unending love, please reprieve.  As you’ve provided this incredible event and brought all of those together that have provided a generational compass to show us the way to what true love means, let us give the highest form of thanks we know how.

Lord, this is our prayer on this Christmas dinner. May this be a reminder for us to live a life of gratefulness and appreciation in our day to day.  And like the growing Christ child we read about in the good book, let us grow in wisdom daily, seeking to know you and the path you’ve chosen for us in mind and spirit. Let us meet those challenges that are put in front of us without cowardice- facing them with a bold and humble strength. Each member in this room is the net to catch us and rescue us if we should fail. Let us remember that the true value of the individual is the notion of sacrifice. Like you did for us, let us make it our duty to provide for others to the best of our ability and to leave this world a better place at the end of the day than at the beginning. And let us live these words not just in this time around your birth, what we call Christmas, but let these life missives direct us year-round.

This Christmas season brings us happiness as we are with our family. Too will this Christmas evening when we crawl into our various warm beds with grateful thoughts of you. Please help us remember the birth of your son Jesus Christ and that we may share with the songs of your heavenly Angels, the worship of your son the messiah on this glorious day.  Thank you, Lord, for providing for us so generously in our life and for opening the door for your love for us and everyone around us.

Amen.