Set 'em Up Joe

I'm the Decider.

I assume most of all y'all visit the Good and Right Rev. Frost on a regular basis. But just in case you haven't stopped by in a bit, he had a rather big announcement in regards to a very special event. Rev. Frost has released his first record! Indeed. So before you read any further, go visit Spread the Good Word and read all about it. Then hop over to Closed For Private Party Records to order your very own copy of Spread the Good Word Vol. 1: South of Hell, France. I got my copy a couple of days ago, and it hasn't left my cd player yet. The man's a genius. Supplies are limited, so hurry. You owe it to yourself. To whet your appetite, here's a previously unreleased re-recording of a tune that debuted here at the Mountain. It's Rev. Frost's take on our theme song, newly minted and awaiting inclusion on Vol. 2. Makes me want to dance around without my pants on.

Rev. Frost: Big Rock Candy Mountain(mp3)

Now.

Vern Gosdin is another one of them fellas with a great country name who should be on the list of anyone who's a fan of classic honky tonk. Cut from the same vocal and stylistic cloth as Lefty and Merle, Gosdin's knee deep in the jukebox tradition. Beginning his musical career in the early 60's, along with his brother Rex, playing bluegrass, Gosdin did a brief stint with The Hillmen (with Chris Hillman), before going off on their own to form The Gosdin Brothers. Throughout the 60's and 70's (despite a brief retirement from the business), Gosdin racked up a moderate amount of bona fide hits, but managed a body of work more impressive as a whole than taken on the singles charts.

Oddly enough, it wasn't 'til the 80's (when the rest of Nashville was embracing the bland) that Gosdin began to see widespread success. Like Moe Bandy, Gosdin never abandoned his pure honky tonk roots, and perhaps it was this unwillingness to compromise his classic country raisin' that caused folks already weary of Nashville's dumbing down to embrace him. Not given to the country-rock stylings popular during the decade of greed (and reviving today), Gosdin's body is pure barroom tonk, from tears in beers to drunken revelry to callin' on the spirit of Ernest Tubb. And, most importantly, the man rocks a 'stache like no one's business.

And yeah, the following are drinkin' and cheatin' songs. Sue me.


Vern Gosdin: Set 'Em Up Joe (mp3)

Vern Gosdin: Dim Lights, Thick Smoke(and Loud, Loud Music)(mp3)

Vern Gosdin: Weekends Were Made For Cheatin'(mp3

Vern Gosdin: A Month of Sundays (mp3)

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