What thoughts flutter through your head when you hear "supergroup"? I would imagine it's not similar to what goes through my mind: The Highway Men , The Super Friends , "We Are The World" ... I digress. 2012 has graced us with yet another supergroup that may not be as influential as Johnny Cash plucking along side Willy Nelson, but when you mix members of Deer Tick , The Black Lips , Los Lobos , Dead Confederate , and Six Finger Satellite , you got yo' self a SUPERGroup. Diamond [...]
December's headline death probably is that of the great Cesária Évora , who emerged from the tiny West African island of Cape Verde, a former Portuguese colony. But as a soul fan, percussion maestro Ralph MacDonald is my headline departure of the month. He wrote some stone-cold classics and appeared on an impressive catalogue of soul and fusion albums, including those released in their heyday by Bill Withers, George Benson, Donny Hathaway, Ashford & Simpson, Brothers Johnson, Margie Joseph, Patti Austin, Grover Washington, Maynard Ferguson, The Crusaders, Michael Franks, Eric Gale, Bob James, Herbie Mann, [...]
Back in April I shared a video for a live version of an absolutely stunning live track by Alicia Merz whose recordings under the name Birds of Passage have reduced me to stunned silence numerous times this past year, now I'm pretty happy to mention that the track, "Highwaymen in Midnight Masks" is to be released on wax. The outstanding Denovali Records will release a limited three track 10" led by the unbelievable eight and a half minute title track on December 17th (pre-orders open 29th Nov here ) and to help [...]
This is from the album Michael, Row the Boat Ashore: The Best of the Highwaymen.
Alex has been playing this great Jimmy Webb tune on his show so I felt inclined. I've posted this up in the past, though this version was filmed back in March 1990 at Long Island's Nassau Coliseum.
"Michael" rowed all the way to number one 50 years ago.
Every time I hear this song all I can think of is the scene from the Tom Hanks, John Candy movie Volunteers. Tom Hanks, owing huge sums of money to a gambler, switches places with his college roommate, boards a plane and heads for Thailand as a Peace Corps volunteer without application or training. He's wearing a white tux as he'd just come from a party. When he opens the curtain to the coach seating area, all of the volunteers are swaying and singing this song. It is one funny scene.
If you've been around Coffee for a while, you know I am a fan of The Highwaymen . There is just something about the sounds of early groups like this one which remind me of when I first found folk music.
Last week I posted my interview with Tony Tost about his book on Johnny Cash's American Recordings album. One of the things I like about the book is that it shares my view that some of the covers JC tackled on his later albums with Rick Rubin , quite frankly, sucked. With this in mind I asked Tony to come up with a list for Carnival Saloon of the Worst of American Recordings. Being a creative chap Tony suggested something much better. What songs should Johnny Cash have covered in [...]
For a blog going by this name, the death of multiple Grammy award-winning producer and pioneering sound engineer Roger Nichols is particularly noteworthy. The school mate of Frank Zappa was crucial in the development of Steely Dan's sound, from the West Coast rock of Can't Buy A Thrill to the jazz-tinged material on Aja and the comeback album Two Against Nature.It's his hand on the back-cover of Countdown To Ecstasy. Actor Tim Robbins' parents were folk singers. Gil Robbins was a member of the pioneering folk group The Highwaymen; he died on 5 April; his wife Mary passed [...]
Last week, we dedicated all of our Song of the Days to the more Super of Rock and Roll acts. There truly aren't enough days in the week, so we rounded it out with a few more tunes to make this most super of playlists. Never before have we pulled together a playlist with this much collaborative talent, and we will be hard pressed to do more going forward. Check out the playlist below, along with a brief explanation of each tune. The Traveling Wilburys - Handle With [...]
Who says the country boys can't join in on the Super Group fun? This band's all star lineup included Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson. Great Tune!
Gil Robbins, a folk singer, guitarist and member of the early 1960s group the Highwaymen has died. He was 80. Shortly before Gil Robbins joined the Highwaymen, the group had a major hit with "Michael," its version of "Michael, Row the Boat Ashore." When Robbins joined in 1962, he took the group in a more political direction, playing and singing baritone on five albums until their 1964 breakup.
Check out this live video from Birds of Passage recent European tour, it is absolutely stunning: birds of passage - highwaymen in midnight masks from Sebastien Dehesdin on Vimeo . Here is the demo audio version of the same song: highwaymen in midnight masks (demo) by birds of passage Order the exquisite album 'Without The World' here ( read my original review ) and catch her live whilst you still can over the next ten [...]
I love most of the groups from the folk resurgence of the late 502s and early 602s.
Jill Andrews performs Silver Stallion in Asheville, NC from Jesse Hamm on Vimeo . she just announced a bunch of tour dates, which if you live anywhere other than new orleans, you may find one near you. check her facebook page for the dates. Tags: jill andrews , silver stallion , the highwaymen
I realise that this is coming rather late in the month, and there has been the death of Marvin Isley in the interim. Anyway, the two big deaths in May were those of the stunning Lena Horne and heavy metal legend Ronnie James Dio. Another particularly notable death is that of country musician and songwriter Slim Bryant, who died at 101. He had one of his songs recorded by the legendary Jimmie Rodgers, who died in 1933, and played guitar on his 1932 song Mother Queen Of My Heart, and collaborated with the seminal fiddler Clayton McMichen. Siphiwo [...]
Filed under: News , R.I.P. The Highwaymen 's Dave Fisher, who co-founded the popular folk group at Wesleyan University in 1958, has died. Fisher, 69, succumbed to a bone marrow disorder known as myelofibrosis according to the New York Times . He passed away Friday, May 7, at home in Rye, N.Y. The Highwaymen became best known for the 1961 U.S. chart topper 'Michael,' which was a reworking of the African-American spiritual 'Michael, Row the Boat Ashore.' Fisher put the group of college freshman [...]
:: Glad to see that Dio is still as feisty as ever, even while undergoing chemotherapy . He's going to "kick the hell out of" cancer. :: Who knew that Ed Norton and The Swell Season were pals ? :: So it looks like Roseanne Cash , Billy Bragg and Joe Henry will be doing a record together . Talk about heavy hitters. Modern day Highwaymen (and highwaywoman) maybe? :: You can listen to Dr. Dog 's [...]
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