If you scroll down and take a look at my Thanksgiving post you’ll notice that I mentioned that the Chris and Heather Country Calendar Show was coming up. The show happened a week ago yesterday and I had a wonderful time. I was even more excited to find that they had put together a second CD of the music from Country Calendar shows past. With that much more material to choose from, I couldn’t resist putting together a post of music from those shows.
If you don’t want to scroll down to the bottom of the page, here’s the deal. Every year Chicago cartoonist and filmmaker Heather McAdams draws a calendar that pays tribute to country musicians famous and obscure. It’s a great source of knowledge or trivia, depending on your point of view. Every December Heather and her husband Chris Ligon get their musician friends together to play music from the artists featured in that year’s calendar. The evening also includes film (or this year for the first time, video) of the original artists in action. It’s kind of a yearly Christmas party for the musicians involved and they put on the show in a bar three blocks from my house, making it a can’t-miss event for me.
Devil In A Woodpile “The Most Beautiful Girl” (Charlie Rich)
I always thought that this song was impossibly cheesy. But when I heard Devil In A Woodpile reinvent it as a country blues stomp I was blown away. One more example of a well-written song that shines when it’s liberated from its original arrangement.
Andrew Bird with Scott Ligon “Bubbles In My Beer” (Bob Wills)
I like Bob Wills’ music much more when it’s covered by other people. I find the original recordings difficult to listen to because Mr. Wills never shut the hell up. He constantly jabbered over the musicians in his band while they were playing. Makes me want to reach into my stereo and bitch-slap the guy.
Jon Langford and Sally Timms “Streets of Bakersfield” (Buck Owens)
Ms. Timms is a mercurial performer with an amazing voice. She’s all business on this recording, which is mildly disappointing. I did notice that this year they scheduled her early in the evening. I don’t know if that was a coincidence or if Chris and Heather were trying to get her onstage before she drank too much.
Neko Case “The Moon Is High (And So Am I)” (George Jones)
For his own sake I’m glad that Mr. Jones has dried out. But the world’s a little less exciting now that he’s not riding his lawn mower to the liquor store.
The Wichita Shut-Ins “A Wound Time Can’t Erase” (The Stonemans)
I was there the night this one was recorded and I remember the film of the Stonemans. The mandolin player was really cute and seriously hyperactive. She constantly danced this frantic sort of jig while savagely thrashing her instrument. It was inspirational to see.