Dys-fun-ctional Christmas

Not always is Christmas happy and merry.



Conflicts with the law, broken relationships, loneliness or simply dysfunctional families can put a burden on these holy Holidays.

Good part about it is, that they also inspire songwriters to tell about it. It's basically a reality show wrapped in the soothing sounds of Christmas music. So in this third part of a "Honky Tonk Christmas" let's put the fun back into dysfunctional (my Saloon ornament is hanging) and listen to some tunes, that aren't your standards accompanying "Silent Night," "Oh Tannenbaum" or more secular ditties like "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer," "Frosty The Snowman," "White Christmas," "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow." "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" or even "Feliz Navidad."



First in my list of a half dozen not so PC-friendly, dysfunctional songs is an over 25-year old classic done by Irish punkers The Pogues together with Kirsty MacColl (who passed away in 2000) called "Fairytale Of New York." Even though the song only reached #2 in the British Charts during it's initial release in 1987, it's this season (2013) most downloaded Christmas song in the UK.  Though the protagonist of the song is in the drunk tank on Christmas Eve to sober up, he sees quite a rosy future with his loved one.









And what you may have realized is that my definition of Honky Tonk music is quite wide and yes it includes Tom Waits. According to Wikipedia - even though the quote can't be traced anymore - he was quoted about "Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minnepolis" as follows:

"I was in Minneapolis - it was 200 degrees below zero - I know - you think I'm bullshitting, no, I swear to God, I was wearing just a bra and a slip and a kind of dead squirrel around my neck - he was colder than I was. The police cars would go by and they'd wave... Merry Xmas, Merry Xmas, Merry Xmas - anyway - I got caught in the middle of a pimp war between 2 kids in Chinchilla coats, they couldn't have been more than 13 years old - they're throwing knives and forks and spoons out into the street - it was deep - so I grabbed a ladle - and Dinah Washington was singing "Our Day Will Come" and I knew that was it."

I can't say it much better, besides mentioning, that we are all looking for Valentine's day coming up.












I knew that John Prine had a song called "Christmas In Prison" of his 1994 Holiday album "A John Prine Christmas" but after re-listening to the whole album, I decided to use a the only (at least that I know of) song that cynically compares a broken up relationship with a decaying Christmas tree and how bittersweet it is to wish the former lover
"All The Best." Definitely a Christmas song, no department store would use as elevator music.



Alcohol also can be (is) a specific Christmas problem and leads to a crossroad of possibilities:

- a) drinking out of joy and celebrating (for some reason the most kids in the US are born roughly nine months after the Holidays - http://www.labnol.org/internet/most-popular-birthday-months/21283/ - longer, darker nights may be playing a role too)

- b) others may indulge due to dysfunctional relationships, insane family ties and trying to cope with that in a buzzed or even drunk state of mind

- c) and finally all the people who are alone and don't have anybody to celebrate the festivities with



In 1973, John Denver released "Please Daddy Don't Get Drunk This Christmas," a song written by husband and then-wife team, Bill Danoff and Mary "Taffy" Nivert. The couple was quite successful and had other hits with "Take Me Home, Country Roads" (Denver), "Boulder To Birmingham" (Emmylou Harris) and their self-recorded, as the Starland Vocal Band, #1 hit "Afternoon Delight."

Twenty years later, Alan Jackson spiffed that little ditty about wishful soberness a bit up, put a shuffle beat to it, uped the giddy and the steel guitar replacing the dobro made it more jukebox friendly.



Alan Jackson - Please Daddy Don't Get Drunk On Christmas




John Rich, Jimmy Fallon - Drunk On Christmas





Boxcar Willie - Hee Haw Honey




How can I pass up lyrics like "I need some Christmas spirit, and by spirit I mean booze; I'm getting drunk, drunk, drunk on Christmas." This song was written by Late Night TV host Jimmy Fallon and a writer of the show, Gerard Bradford and premiered three years ago, with special guest John Rich (Big & Rich) sitting in with Fallon and back-up band, The Roots.

"Hee Haw" Host Roy Clark With Some Of The Honeys

Lecil Travis Martin aka Boxcar Willie, even though only remotely popular in the United States was a superstar overseas and is believed to have sold more than 100 million albums. His carnal wish was infused by the beautiful Southern ladies in the TV show "Hee Haw" and Hugh Hefner's playboy bunnies - and yes that simply is all he wanted under his Christmas tree.



One of my all-time favorite

dysfunctional Christmas songs is "Merry Christmas From The  Family" penned by Texan Robert Earl Keen. With a sharp wit, he describes the Christmas needs and family relationships as it would be part of a reality show. The parents are getting drunk, the sister shows up with a new Mexican boyfriend, who woos everybody with "Feliz Navidad," brother Ken who arrives with wife #3 brings his five kids out of two earlier relationships. And it's Turkey, football and more booze - trips to the convenient store to restock with cigarettes, diapers, tampons and whatever you need in the 24/7 world that America is.



And with this - I can only wish everybody of you - Merry Christmas Y'All



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This blog was orginally published here.

Ray Price - Honky Tonk Hero

We all knew it would happen. The pancreatic cancer was back and Ray refused to go through another strain of chemo and decided to die peacefully in hospice care in his Texas house in Mount Pleasant. A rushed statement by his son made him die premature, but this afternoon 4:43pm he did pass away.

I'm sure there will be many (better and extensive) obituaries covering his six decades in the music scene. I thought I will just remember him with some anecdotes, trivia and personal experiences.

Ray Price single handedly changed country music a decade before Willie and Waylon started their outlaw waves in the music business. After being a disciple (actually room mate) of Hank Williams, his early albums were pure Hank influenced, songs right on the edge between sin and salvation. With the emergence of Rock'n'Roll, Ray changed the old solemn sounds with his signature hard driving, jazz-influenced 4/4 shuffle into a highly dance-able Honky Tonk sound which up to this day still exists in every "true" Texas jukebox. Just listen to "Home In San Antone" from his album "San Antonio Rose" - you may have to do that several times to get actually get the different layers - first just listen to the tight rhythm work of the drums and the bass, add the "classic" fiddlin' by Tommy Jackson, then indulge in the mastery of Jimmy Day on the steel guitar and then give a listen to Ray vocal acrobatics. Piece the pieces together and the sum is way bigger than it's parts. And please be warned this stuff is addictive.

Yes I'm bluntly honest - some of his next invention, the cosmopolitan Nashville sound turned me off, all the strings were layered so thick and smooth, that at the time it was barely listenable to. I did change my mind in retrospect. And the BS (yes that stands also for a musician) crap that Nashville is now releasing, elevates these tunes like gems in a field of burnt coal pieces.
When he was introduced into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1996 I was there at the Grand Ole Opry working the event for several European radio stations and will never forget his quip "Well It's About Time." And right he was, having changed the sound of country music twice. In substance he was the Tony Bennett of Country Music, where George Jones was Frank Sinatra.

In 2000 Ray made a trip to SXSW (music fair) to perform a free concert at Waterloo Park. Despite a cold front who dropped the balmy afternoon temperatures 30 degrees into the 40s, there were more than a thousand attending and enjoying that show (which also featured the Derailers and Hank Williams III).
Still remember dancing on the lawn of the park - mostly to stay warm - when someone poked me in the back - they were some old friends of mine, members of BR5-49 who also attended the music fair and came out that night to check out and pay tribute to the Cherokee Cowboy. 

This is from later years, but pretty much sums up the experience at Waterloo Park - two Kris Kristofferson penned hits for Price - "Help Me Make Through The Night" / "For The Good Times"



By 2007 I was struggling, living out of my car - but Ray announced two concerts in Austin, together with Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and Asleep At The Wheel as part of the "Last Of The Breed"-Tour. Sure glad I was able to work "parking" these two magical nights and seeing that show twice.
After the show we all rushed to Poodie's (Willie's former road manager's place - RIP) to see who would show up for the after party, some of the Cherokee Cowboys did, but it never became that much wished for Jam-Session for all the musicians involved. Nevertheless Ray stole the show these two nights.
A year later he returned with "Time" actually touching some of the old shuffle themes who made him so famous. "You Just Don't Love Me Anymore" became an instant favorite.




A must have for every true Honky Tonk fan is Ray Price's 10 CD box by Bear Family which chronicles the years from 1950 - 1966.

Willie Nelson's band tour bus in accident - 3 family members hospitalized

Willie Nelson's band tour bus (he was on another bus), was involved in an accident earlier this morning in Sulphur Springs (TX) on icy roads on IH-30. 

Three family members had to be hospitalized, drummer Paul English broke a foot, but no life-threatening injuries. More tour dates these year have been suspended. A new year's eve concert still stands as planned as of now. 

Sources: KOKE-FM, @willienelson @mihaelcorcoran

Eric Paslay - Emerging Artist - Proven Songwriter

Quite by accident, on a music-infused night, I stumbled to meet and hear an unannounced Eric Paslay at the Saxon Pub in Austin. 

It was only one song, he sang - but that little ditty captured my interest. Sitting in with Texas music stalwart, Walt Wilkins and his band The Mystiqueros, Eric offered us a slice of "Country Side Of Heaven." Obviously the video was taken with a phone, the sound quality somehow questionable, but the only video I  could find of that song. Additionally Paslay will be playing the Grand Ole Opry on 5/24/13 - check him out if you have a chance.

Eric Paslay - "Country Side Of Heaven" - +Grand Ole Opry


Checking him out on his website and on facebook I quickly learned that the 30-year old Texan (born in Abilene) is one of the emerging artists, signed to EMI since 2011 and as a proven songwriter, could already celebrate three #1 hits he co-penned: "Barefoot Blue Jean Night" for Jake Owen, "Even If It Breaks Your Heart" for the +Eli Young Band  and "Angel Eyes" for +Love and Theft 

"Even If It Breaks Your Heart" is a co-write with hit-writer +Will Hoge and was recorded by Hoge on his own album "The Wreckage." Both writers were nominated for a Grammy (Best Country Song) and Academy Of Country Music Award (Song of the Year). In the following acoustic video you are able to see Paslay doing "Less Than Whole" and him and Will Hoge singing their hit composition.

Eric Paslay - "Less Than Whole"
Eric Paslay/Will Hoge - "Even If It Breaks Your Heart" +3rd & Lindsley


Jake Owen - "Barefoot Blue Jean Night"


After his first single as an artist, "Never Really Wanted" barely cracked the charts and peaked at #48 in 2011, Paslay and his record company EMI, tried to come up with a similiar feel good song, as the Jake Owen #1 hit (a co-wrote with Dylan Altman and Terry Sawchuk). Altman, a co-writer with the same publishing company Cal IV, was also his co-writer on that second single "If The Fish Don't Bite." 
The single, which was considered the possible breakthrough record for Eric by several critics, was released in March of 2012 and stalled at #58 - too bad, the song really sounds like a fun summer hit, but listen by yourself. 




Maybe single number three, may do the charm, his newest single, "Friday Night," a co-write with +Rose Falcon  and Rob Crosby is now available on itunes and currently (May 2013) moving up the Country Airplay Charts, sitting at #47.
The song was previously recorded as an album track by +Lady Antebellum for their album "Own The Night."

I wanna be your Friday night sweet ride
Summertime sunshine barefoot in the moonlight
I wanna be your jackpot hot spot
Wide open road in a candy apple rag top
I wanna set you free
I wanna take you high
I wanna be, wanna be your Friday night

Eric Paslay - "Friday Night" - acoustic


I'm not sure, if "Friday Night" will be the one song that will establish Eric Paslay as the newest artist, giving him mainstream radio-airplay. After three single releases going nowhere he may be dropped by EMI. 
But I don't worry about his success as a songwriter, with over 150 songs penned, I'm sure his name will show up in the charts again. 
A recent collaboration with Sheryl Crow and Amy Grant on her just released (May 2013) album "How Mercy Looks From Here" on his self-written song "Deep As It Is Wide" may just do this and help him further to gain the needed attention of radio programmers. 

Amy Grant, Sheryl Crow & Eric Paslay - "Deep As It Is Wide" +Ryman Auditorium



Sources: www.ericpaslay.com - www.facebook.com/ericpaslay - Cal IV - youtube - wikipedia - billboard.com -

People Are Crazy - Billy Currington Out

Photo: Savannah-Chatham Police

Billy Currington was ousted as a pre-race artist for the May, 18th Sprint All-Star Race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway (NC), after his recent arrest on charges of making "terroristic threats and abuse of an elderly person." He will be replaced by "Long Black Train" singer, Josh Turner. "Due to Currington's recent indictment, we elected to change our act for the Nascar Sprint All-Star Race," track president and general manager Marcus Smith said in a news release.

Currington turned himself into the Savannah-Chatham Police and was booked into Chatham county jail on Thursday after a warrant was issued for his arrest a day earlier. He was released after posting $27'700 bond. He could face upto 10 years in prison for the two felony charges against him.

The charges against Currington were filed after an April, 15th incident, after he allegedly chased a 70-year-old tour boat captain along a coastal Georgia creek of Tybee island and threated to "finish him off" in a tirade filled with profanities, according to court documents.

The boat captain, Charles Harvey Ferrelle, and his two passengers told police Currington was holding a camera when he became outraged. The police seized four digital video files, 27 photos and a memory card at Currington's home, after obtaining a search warrant.
In an affidavit, Savannah-Chatham County Police detective Alycia Smith wrote: "They were in fear of this man and a possible attack against Mr. Ferrelle, and possibly everyone there, as his behaviour was 'out of control' as described by all three persons."

Currington who denied "each and every allegation" from Ferrelle, tweeted two days after the incident to his over 200'000 followers on Twitter.

Currington's tweet

He also thanked his fans for their support but refused to comment because of the ongoing legal investigation. Inhabitants of Currington's estate have called the police before because of invasion of their privacy stemming from incidents where boats were driving to close to their boat dock, according to several newspaper reports.

Entertainment journalist Jimmy Carter tweeted that the charges against Currington were way out of proportion and "outrageous"...

According to a 2007 article in The Tennessean the singer admitted then, that he sometimes struggled to control his anger as a result of suffering childhood abuse while growing up in Rincon, north of Savannah. "When he comes out, he comes out very quickly and it goes away very quickly," the 39-year old singer told the newspaper. "And in those instances, that rage can destroy relationships, whether it's with a girlfriend or a business partner or a fan. It doesn't  take long to screw it all up."

Ft Walton Beach show 4/27 - Source Twitter

The show cancellation by the Charlotte Motor Speedway may be described as premature, as the fans are sticking with Currington and he was able to enjoy sold-out shows in Louisiana and Fort Walton Beach. He documented the last one in a Twitter picture, he posted earlier this morning (4/28).

Billy Currington is best known for the 2009, Bobby Braddock/Troy Jones penned number-one-hit "People Are Crazy."



Sources: wire reports, AP, savannahnow.com, @billycurrington @askjimmycarter