Got some exciting news brewing here at the Mountain (no, I'm not going daily...I have a life, ferchrissakes). But your gonna have to wait a couple weeks. I guarantee (money back if necessary) it will be well worth your time and patience. Keep your eyes peeled.
Today we wanna hear us some Charlie Walker. Another honky tonker with a string of minor, often regional, hits, Walker is probably best remembered, if at all, as a country music DJ back in the 50's, billing himself, according to the Opry link above, as "an ole poke salad, cotton-picking, boll-pulling, corn-shucking, snuff-dipping Charlie Walker." Sounds about right, so far as we're concerned.
As a musician, Walker scored his biggest hit with "Pick Me Up On Your Way Down", and that'd be just about it for chart successess, with a minor hit here and there. CMT's (very) brief assessment of Walker's career is, to be kind, a little unkind. Pity, because a broader take on Walker would show a solid honky tonker with a pretty impressive list of sides that helped define what we think of as being honky tonk now, the classic twang and shuffle songs about dogs, bars, cheatin', lovin', and dancin'. Bear Family, who know a thing or two about obsessive record collecting and archiving, seem to think Walker's a worthy addition to the history of country music. I agree.
As a further note, it appears that Walker was a Mason. So, you know, look for any conspiracy theories where you may in his lyrics.
Charlie Walker: Last Call For Alcohol (mp3)
Charlie Walker: God Save the Queen(of the Honky Tonks) (mp3)
Charlie Walker: Soft Lips and Hard Liquor (mp3)
Charlie Walker: Let's Go Fishin' (The Girls Are Bitin') (mp3)
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9 comments:
Well, after all that I think you should go daily.
Exciting news brewing at the Mountain?
Hmmm....
Could it be a lifetime supply of Pabst (which of course you would share with all of your faithful readers)?
I guess we'll just have to stay tuned.
Thanks for the Charlie Walker. I wasn't familiar with his music. It's always great to discover new/old artists.
John (from Milw)
With those titles, how can anyone resist? Thanks also for shining the light on Charlie Walker.
thanx!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! as always for introducing some fab artists that might get left at the side of the tracks otherwise, not visited for a while as out in the sun with the wine and bbq but blog is as great as ever!!! yeeeha keep it countrry
With my red neck, white socks, and Blue Ribbon beer, I fully appreciate this post.
Nice reference to the Billie Jo Spears hit, "Mr. Walker, It's All Over" in the title! :)
Worth noting Charlie Walkers Pick Me Up On Your Way Down not only provided songwriter Harlan Howard with his first bona fide hit but also kickstarted his songwriting career:'"I'd had my first hit but I was still working in this factory and I still haven't received any money yet," Howard remembers. One afternoon,an annoyed boss called Howard over to answer a long distance telephone call. Over the noise of the running presses, Howard found none other than Ray Price on the line."He said he liked PMUOYWD and he asked did I have anything new ? Well I had 3 new songs so I put those down in the bedroom & sent him this tape. The major one was Heartaches By The Number. To this day that is still the biggest hit I ever had"'(from sleevenotes to Koch's Harlan Howard All time Favourite Country Songwriter) Perhaps you could pick up the story with a post devoted to HH. Keep up the good work RGN
Excellent, well done blog. Love it.
Is the big news still coming?
Tommy
oh. man, I'm gonna cry. how long before these links dry up? seems i've missed the deadline?
-sigh-
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