In Memory of Vic Willis 1922-1995

Photo of Vic Willis at the piano in the Starday Sound Studios, circa 1964. Photo from Don Pierce collection.

This here's a post to honor the great John "Vic" Willis, one-third of the Willis Brothers/Oklahoma Wranglers/Drifting Cowboys, who passed away on this day in 1995. The Willis Brothers were a Starday institution: They recorded over 150 tunes of their own for Starday (lots of great cowboy and trucker fare), appeared on many more sessions (see the post below by Don Lewis among many others), were major players in the Starday jingle company (ran by Vic alongside Don Pierce, Little Roy Wiggins, Eddy Arnold, and Charles Mosley) and all of their wives worked in the Starday office. This here's a funny clip from their appearance in the Ron Ormond film, Forty Acre Feud (one of the many Ormond Nashville-era films starring country music stars, financially backed by Don Pierce). Such cool footage, even if it is obviously lipsynched... Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PC3M-ujS2UY

My dear friend and mentor Rex Trailer has passed away

Rex Trailer singing 'An Immaculate Confection (The Necco Song)' with Nate Gibson & the Gashouse Gang R-L Jon Johnson, Nate Gibson, Rex Trailer, Tom Long, Jeff Herring. photo by Aimee Busby

I am filled with sadness today to learn that my dear friend Rex Trailer has passed on. To me, Rex was a teacher, a collaborator, a role model, a music mentor, and a true friend. For those of you who didn’t know Rex personally, I’ll share with you a few tidbits and memories.

Rex Trailer (yup, that there is his real name) was born in West Texas. He got into the rodeo business briefly, just long enough to learn some incredible ropin’ and ridin’ tricks (see: http://goo.gl/tW0kh), but was convinced by his mentor Gabby Hayes to pursue a career in children’s television. In Philadelphia during the early 1950s he hosted a western themed TV program called Rex Trailer’s Ranch House and often shared the local stages with a young pre-Comets Bill Haley. In 1956 Rex recorded four sides for ABC-Paramount under the direction of Sid Feller, Ray Charles’ longtime collaborator and musical arranger. The most well-known of these tracks was “Hoofbeats,” which became background music during a regular segment on Rex’s new Boston-based TV series Boomtown. To sum up a very important part of his life in a few words, Boomtown aired from 1956-1974, reaching millions of homes across New England, and Rex Trailer became a New England icon. He became a hero to millions of children, specifically to families dealing with mental retardation and muscular dystrophy (as he worked tirelessly to raise money and awareness about these disabilities), to countless sheltered animals throughout Massachusetts, to aspiring actors and cowboys/cowgirls, and to so many more. He was well-known because he was on television, but he was universally loved because he was a sincere, kind, and generous person. And because he could seemingly do it all. He could fly airplanes and helicopters (he flew one of the helicopters during the filming of Steven Spielberg’s JAWS), he could act (if Boomtown wasn’t enough proof, watch him with Winona Ryder in Mermaids), he was a professional cowboy (and his horse Goldrush was always by his side), he was a fantastic musician and vocalist (as evidenced by his admittance into the Massachusetts Country Music Hall of Fame in 2000), he was a trained hypnotist and, quite honestly, the list goes on and on. What caught my attention in 1999, however, was that Rex Trailer was also a teacher at Emerson College.

I met Rex at a bar called the Sugar Shack during Rick Walkers’ (a western clothing outfitter in Boston, where I was then employed) festive Christmas party and Rex was on stage singing some of his catchy original tunes such as “It’s Your Dog,” “Cheer Up Your Corner of the World,” and “Lovin’ You Is Like a Rodeo.” At the time I was a student at Emerson College majoring in poetry and song. After the show, I asked Rex if he would be interested in becoming my songwriting advisor. To my surprise, he said ‘Sure.’ To both of our surprise, the Emerson College powers that be gave us the green light.

My thesis was on country music songwriting and Rex and I met twice a week. We studied various styles of country music songwriting and the goal was to write and record ten original songs. I remember meeting Rex in his office for the first time and wondering what we could both possibly have in common as a jumping off point. During a lull in the conversation I reached into my book pack for snack and pulled out a roll of Necco wafers. To my surprise, Rex also had his own roll with him. We bonded over our mutual love for the chalky confections (specifically the chocolate ones) and that moment sparked one of the deepest friendships I’ve come to know. Rex and I worked together on finishing those ten songs and he even sang two of them with me (see: http://goo.gl/HMV1B). We called fellow Massachusetts Country Music Hall of Famer Kenny Roberts (Rest In Peace Kenny!) and got him to join us in the studio as well! Rex inspired me to put my first band together and truly gave me my start in the Boston music scene. He invited me to join him at the award ceremony when he was inducted into the Hall and spent much of his moment in the sun introducing me to others as “The next big thing.” The following year he even nominated my record for Best New Country Music Album. During the past 14 years I’ve had the pleasure of sharing the stage with Rex and backing him up at many shows and while everybody who came to these shows came to see Rex, he spent so much of his time and energy building me up. In short, like so many people before and after me, Rex took me under his wing and did everything he could to help me succeed (He even handed me the reins of Goldrush and took a picture of us that I used for the cover of my All the Way Home album). Beyond simply professional aspirations, Rex took a sincere interest in me as a person and I greatly value our many talks about life, dogs, horses, country music, personal relationships, Necco wafers, marionettes, and everything else that came up. I can never say enough positive things about Rex and the advice he gave to me and so many others. I know there are many of his students who have gone on to great fame (see: Jay Leno, Steven Wright, Maria Menounos, and a long list of others), but the true number of students and people he helped in his lifetime is uncountable.

Rex, I’m going to miss you! I had a blast performing with you all these years. You instilled within me a lifelong passion for country music. As a recommender during my graduate school application process, you also greatly contributed to my current career path in ethnomusicology. You made my life brighter and I hope I was able to do the same for you. You have left behind a wonderful legacy. Your family, friends, and fans were brought together by your youthful exuberance and we were continually inspired by your actions and positive energy. I’m mighty glad we were able to cross paths here on this Earth and though I know you already know it, “I [Still] Appreciate You."

Your Pal Out On the Trails,

Nate

I can't really listen to this right now, but if you'd like to hear a beautiful Rex Trailer tune, here's the flipside of "Hoofbeats," called "Cowboys Don't Cry" (ABC-Paramount 9662, 1956): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AvoBuS97Mc&feature=youtu.be

A Starday Tribute to Alabama Football: Bama's Tiny Giants - Don Lewis (1966)

Sadly, my team didn't quite pull out the bowl game victory as I had hoped, but that doesn't mean it has to be all doom and gloom... As we are just hours away from the College Football Championship, I thought it might be a good time to reflect on Starday's 1966 tribute to the most dominant team in college football both then and now: Don Lewis - Bama's Tiny Giants. I'm not 100% certain, but it sure sounds like the Willis Brothers, who also backed Hank Williams Sr. on his first recordings, doing the backing vocals here... Enjoy! http://youtu.be/zoyr-BhQXGU

Nate's 2012 Year In Review

photo by Tall and Small Photography www.tallandsmallphotography.com

Facebook just pieced together my “2012 Year In Review” and sent me a link to it. It's a pretty cool new feature. Though I appreciate the thought, I can't say I totally agree with their highlight choices so I went ahead and created my own 2012 Year In Review for the new/old blog. Despite the inevitable ups and downs in the world, I am both fortunate and blessed that 2012 was, as Facebook suggested, a really wonderful year. I suppose at times like this, as I’m gearing up to make my New Year’s resolutions and set my personal goals for 2013, it’s helpful to take a moment and reflect on some of the goals that were achieved last year, to reflect on how fortunate I have been to have so many good things happen recently, and also to express my gratitude for the many wonderful people in my life…

Let’s see, 2012… Every single day good things happen (yes, I truly believe this, though on certain days it may be harder to see them than on others), but a few things stick out from this year. For starters, my aunt beat lung cancer (incredible!); I spent New Year’s Eve in Helsinki on a beautiful snowy eve; In February I fell into the most beautiful guitar I’ve ever played and simply adore it; March included trips to NYC & Boston with my lady, visiting friends and making music; I earned my Master’s degree in April, finished my Ph.D. coursework in the summer, and passed my Ph.D. qualifying exams at Indiana University in December (woo-hoo, with sincere thanks to Sue Tuohy, David A. McDonald, & Lynn Hooker); In May The Starday Story won the Belmont Award for Country Music Book of the Year and it later won a 2nd award from ARSC for Best Research in Record Labels (thank you ICMC and ARSC!); Also in May I got to pick some tunes with bluegrass legend Roni Stoneman in Nashville’s Studio B; Roller skating with my family and lady in July was beyond wonderful (mom on skates!); Also in July, along with Mike Lee, Jerry Miller, Shane Kiel, Jake Kamp, Amanda Lee, the Vallures, and many talented friends, I released a new LP/CD that was just a joy to create (GO!GO!GO!); Throughout the year I shared various stages with so many great friends and musicians—Rex Trailer, Al Hawkes, Sean Mencher, Kim Lenz, Roy Kay Trio, Johnny C., the Daryl Haywood Combo, Eddie Clendening, Leon Chance… (I can’t even begin to name them all but it’s been a fantastically fun year for music); Saw a lot of dear friends at the Indy Road Rockets Festival, the Ernest Tubb Record Shop, and during the summer U.S. tour with the Hi-Fly Rangers to name just a few; met Willie Nelson and Lil Bub, the Internet’s Most Famous Cat (unfortunately, not at the same time); I produced a Starday audio documentary which features Bill Clifton, Ralph Emery, George Jones, Bill Malone, Frankie Miller, Don Pierce, Ralph Stanley, and many others, as well as a segment on Henry Glassie’s Ola Belle Reed recordings that I think turned out really nice; Uncovered a sweet 1963 Ford Galaxie 500 that is an absolute pleasure to cruise; And will spend the last two weeks of the year in the States with my family and even get to hear my pop preach;… Oh, and I moved to Finland! For the past four months I've absolutely loved spending time with loved ones, making music, and making new friends in Helsinki, Tampere, Kouvala, Järvenpää, Joensuu, and all the roads in between.

To say the least, it was an incredible year. It was so wonderful to see so many old friends along the trail as well as forge so many new friendships. I can’t possibly thank my friends and family enough for their support, their love, and for just being a part of this thing called life, but in time I’ll try! As we turn the annual corner, 2013 is looking like it will be filled with just as much excitement—The Starday Story comes out on paperback in March and The Starday Sessions tribute CD with the Barnshakers, Deke Dickerson, Wyatt Maxwell, the Hi-Fly Rangers, Jerry Miller, Sean Mencher, and so many other talented friends/musicians will be released on Goofin’ Records during the same month; My brother’s wedding in April; Screamin’ Rockabilly Weekender (Spain) in June with rockabilly legend Rudy “Tutti” Grayzell and many others; Lots of great shows and festivals already booked in Finland, Sweden, Spain, and beyond; A new full-length album with the Hi-Fly Rangers will be released on El Toro Records; Several lectures on ethnomusicology and country music are already booked; and FINLAND!—I can’t wait to continue my explorations of Finland and I’ll be sure to share the highlights here (I’m hoping it includes live reindeer, live music, and the northern lights—preferably all at the same time). I am so happy to hear from friends and share in the joy of life accomplishments and goals being met, of weddings, childbirths, new books, new movies, new jobs, new albums, and more. It is a constant reminder of how much fun this world can be and I look forward to what 2013 will bring us all. I wish everybody the warmest of holiday seasons, that you are all surrounded by dear friends and loved ones, and I’ll hope to see y’all out on the 2013 trails!

Rockin’ Regards,

Nate

Performing live with Jerry Miller on WFHB Dec. 14 @ 4:00 PM (EST)

Good times! Just got word that I'll be performing live on WFHB in Bloomington,IN with my good pal Jerry Miller. Dec. 14th at 4:00 pm. If you're in Indiana, you can tune in via Bloomington Community Radio 91.3 FM | 98.1 Bloomington | 100.7 Nashville | 106.3 Ellettsville. If you can't tune, you can still stream it live via www.wfhb.org. Those who have heard our album GO! GO! GO! may want to tune in and check out some of our tunes "live and stripped down." Or perhaps you want to hear some of Jerry's new instrumental albums... Or perhaps you'll just want to tune in because you've heard Jerry's guitar work with Eilen Jewell and you liked it... or perhaps you heard him play with the Coachmen, or the Spurs, or from his 45 years of touring & recording experience with Sonny Burgess, Billy Lee Riley, Elvin Bishop, Jack Smith and the Rockabilly Planet, and others... Or, perhaps you've haven't heard him play before. Allow me... You can stream our entire album GO! GO! GO! here: http://nategibson.bandcamp.com/album/go-go-go. OK, now you're ready. Catch you at 4:00 pm (EST) on Friday! photo by www.tallandsmallphotography.com

Don't Call It A Comeback

OK internet... I've been away from this here blogging thing for about two years and I guess I'll jump back into it... cautiously. Many of my friends have asked what was the cause for my blogging absence. Well, time has passed and I suppose I can share it now. Back in 2009 a company had taken the MP3s from my blog post (which I had dubbed from my own vinyl copies), used my blog information and rewrote their own accompanying notes, and then issued it as a CD which is sold on Amazon for $20. When I contacted the company about it, they told me it had nothing to do with my blog and that the song overlap was a coincidence. I later found out that the jacket sleeve in fact cites my blog as a source of info and the inspiration of the CD. I was upset at the time! I felt as though I should have been contacted and consulted before any such project went into production. And that was only my 2nd blog post ever... So I stopped blogging. Now it's almost four years later, there's lots of exciting stuff happening in my world, and I feel like I just need to get over it and make a second effort to connect with the world. So here goes. A simple blog entry to say, hello again world. There will soon be many more blog entries. I hope they are of interest to the masses...

Well howdy there dear blog followers and internet surfers,


No music this time around on the ol' blog, but this has been a tremendous week for me and I thought I might go ahead and write one of those mass emails to tell every single person I know or have ever communicated with or who I might in the future communicate with...

My family's health is improving (this is the best news!), my work here at Indiana University is going very well of late (a very exciting thesis project is in the works), my bluegrass-rockabilly EP with Sean Mencher, Al Hawkes, and Event Records friends is finished and looks great (so many thanks to Fred Chao!!), I just finished a new rockabilly-hillbilly bop recording project with some of my favorite people (Jerry Miller, Shane Kiel, and Mike Lee), and... wait for it... seriously, big news... worth waiting one more second... ok, THE STARDAY BOOK IS FINALLY OUT!!!


As the blog followers here know, I've spent the better part of the last many years researching and writing the history of Starday Records, one of, if not THE, most important independent record label in country music history. All those years of work, for which I have so, so many people to thank (which I tried to do in the Intro to the book, but my sincerest apologies if I missed anyone), has finally culminated in 288 pages bound by colorful hardness. I'm mighty proud of the ol' paper weight and just wanted to let all of my friends, colleagues, acquaintances, and even mortal enemies, know that it's real, available, and lookin' great!


If anybody is interested in obtaining a copy (this here being a callout to all those interested in mid-century American popular music, country music, bluegrass, rockabilly, honky-tonk, gospel music, old-time, independent music, george jones, stanley brothers, willie nelson, roger miller, nashville, tn, the record business, record collecting, nate gibson, etc), I will be giving a lecture on the IU campus about my Starday research on Feb. 4 (Morrison Hall, 1165 E. 3rd St, Room 006, High Noon) and will have several copies on hand. If you are not in the Bloomington, Indiana vicinity, the publisher (University Press of Mississippi) has recommended that y'all: Buy this book online at Amazon, from the publisher, or at your local neighborhood bookstore. As a head's up, the book is presently on sale for the lowest price since Amazon put it on pre-order back in May (less than $40, shipping included). For those that come to the lecture on Feb 4 (details below), I will be able to match the current Amazon price as well. I would greatly appreciate the support, by either purchase, just coming to listen, or even passing the word along to people you think might like enjoy the book (specific details below)!


Lots of other great stuff is happening in my life (seriously, i'm so grateful for everything as of late!!), but I don't want to bore the world with too many overly gushy details... So, there are several ways in which you could find out more if you are so inclined...
1. Write me an email. This is not the best option if you are seeking a speedy reply, as I am in the midst of grant application season. But I'd love to hear from you and will reply as soon as I am able.
2. Stalk my book or band on Facebook, "liking" and "poking" things and keeping abreast of my current highlights...
3. Check out some of my new recordings on my Facebook/Reverbnation band page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nate-Gibson-and-the-Gashouse-Gang/134266376606754... You can also buy the new Nate Gibson and the Grass House album here (CD or digital download)
4. Check out the new updates to my website (my eternal thanks to Garet!!) and learn more about the book and other projects I'm working on: www.nathandgibson.com. More updates coming soon, including many never-heard-before MP3s!
5. Check Youtube for new Nate Gibson videos. We had a show this weekend to celebrate the book's overnight express arrival http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvxJ-kbsP3Y
and you can also find me playing upright bass for numerous bands in and around Bloomington, IN.

I send to you all my very best and thank you for sharing my joy in the release of the Starday book. For those still on the fence about making the purchase, below is a writeup and a few quotes from several writers and scholars whom I greatly admire and for which I'm mighty thankful. I send my best wishes to everyone and look forward to our paths crossing again in the near future!!


Country Musically,
Nate






The Starday Story—The House That Country Music Built, is the first book entirely dedicated to one of the most influential music labels of the 20th century. In addition to creating the largest bluegrass catalogue throughout the 1950s and '60s, Starday was also known for its legendary rockabilly catalogue, an extensive Texas honky-tonk outpouring, classic gospel and sacred recordings and as a Nashville independent powerhouse studio and label. Written by Nathan D. Gibson with label president and co-founder Don Pierce, the book retraces the label's origins in 1953 through 1968 and the Starday-King merger. Interviews with artists and their families, employees and Pierce contribute to the stories of famous hit songs including "Y'all Come," "A Satisfied Mind," "Why Baby Why," "Giddy-Up Go," "Alabam," and many others. Gibson's research and interviews also shed new light on the musical careers of George Jones, Arlie Duff, Willie Nelson, the Big Bopper, Roger Miller, the Stanley Brothers, Cowboy Copas, Dottie West, Red Sovine, Johnny Bond, and countless other Starday artists.
Conversations with the children of Pappy Daily and Jack Starns provide a unique perspective on the early days of Starday and extensive interviews with Pierce offer an insider glance at the country music industry during the Golden Era of country music. Weathering through the storm of rock and roll and, later, the Nashville Sound, Starday was a home to traditional country musicians and became one of the most successful independent labels in American history. Ultimately, the Starday Story is the preservation of a country music label that played an integral role in preserving our nation's musical heritage.

Features:

Interviews were conducted with many of the artists and employees themselves including Betty Amos, Glenn Barber, Bobby Black, Eddie Bond, Chuck Chellman, Bill Clifton, Jimmy Dean, Charlie Dick, Patsy Elshire, Freddie Frank, Tillman Franks, Luke Gordon, Rudy "Tutti" Grayzell, Aubrey Holt, Loyd Howell, Orangie Ray Hubbard, George Jones, Merle Kilgore, W.D. Kilpatrick, Sleepy LaBeef, Billy Linneman, Hoss Linneman, Jesse McReynolds, Rose Lee Maphis, Frankie Miller, Lattie Moore, James O'Gwynn, Arnold Parker, Tom Perryman, Kenny Roberts, Shelby Singleton, Eddie Skelton, Roni Stoneman, Howard Vokes, Link Wray and many others

Features 60 photos, the majority of which have never before been published, including many from Don Pierce's personal collection

A near-complete listing of Starday Records and affiliated labels (including Dixie, Mercury-Starday, Nashville, Juke Box Oldies and the custom series) issued between 1953-1970

What they're saying:

"Nathan Gibson's The Starday Story: The House that Country Music Built is among the best books I've read on the subject of country music in Starday's era (1953-1968). It covers not merely the history and activities of a very important independent record label, but also offers valuable insights on artist and song selection, studio recording, and the production, distribution, and marketing of records during that time. Starday Records has been often overlooked through the years, despite the role it played in the early careers of such eventual stars as George Jones, Roger Miller, Willie Nelson, and many others. Don Pierce, who led the company throughout its active years, was something of an administrative and innovative marketing genius, for which he, like the label itself, never got the credit deserved. That is all remedied by The Starday Story. The book is thoroughly researched and well written; anyone with a serious interest in American popular culture ought to have a copy."
—Nolan Porterfield, author of Jimmie Rodgers: The Life and Times of America's Blue Yodeler

"If we are ever able to understand the complete story of country music, and the ways in which it touched, enriched, and explained the lives of ordinary people, it will be because of books like The Starday Story. Nathan Gibson has given us a meticulously-researched and highly-detailed account of one of the most important record labels that helped to introduce country music to an international public. The Starday Story is not simply an entertaining account of some of country music's most colorful and influential performers, it is also an insightful study of American working class history, and the ways in which plain people interrelated with their musical messengers and spokesmen. I am pleased to give the book my unqualified endorsement."
—Bill C. Malone, professor emeritus of history at Tulane University and author of Country Music U.S.A. and Don't Get above your Raisin': Country Music and the Southern Working Class

"The story of Starday, Nashville maverick of the fifties and sixties, is told well in this book for which Nathan Gibson was fortunate to have the help of Starday's glory years' president, the late Don Pierce. At a time of turmoil in Nashville, Pierce found ways to record and market a diversity of gritty music that's stood the test of time: rockabilly, gospel, bluegrass, honky-tonk, old-time, historic country and more. Pierce's own comments and insights mix enthusiasm and business acumen in unique ways that make for fascinating reading. Gibson's meticulous research pulls in new threads and offers fresh insights into the workings of mid-20th century popular music."
—Neil V. Rosenberg, professor emeritus of folklore at Memorial University of Newfoundland and coauthor of Bluegrass Odyssey: A Documentary in Pictures and Words, 1966-86

"Starday is arguably the greatest maverick country music label of the 1950s-60s. Despite minimal investments in sessions and infrastructure, Starday produced lasting classics by George Jones, the Stanley Brothers, Cowboy Copas, Minnie Pearl, the Country Gentlemen, Ola Belle Reed, Charlie Monroe, Red Sovine, the Blue Sky Boys, Buzz Busby, Harry Choates, Johnny Bond, Carl Story, Jim & Jesse, the Stoneman Family, the Lewis Family, and many more, from celebrities to obscurities. Nate Gibson quotes Starday CEO Don Pierce extensively as he illuminates Starday's beginnings, growth, successes, failures and demise. This fascinating account includes rare insights into country music and the industry it built over half a century ago."
—Dick Spottswood, author of Banjo on the Mountain: Wade Mainer's First Hundred Years and producer and online host of The Dick Spottswood Show, www.bluegrasscountry.org

"Based on a close collaboration between Starday founder Don Pierce and musician/scholar Nathan Gibson, The Starday Story is more than a company history; it's also the story of a man who believed in American grassroots music—from honky tonk to southern gospel to bluegrass—and tirelessly worked from 1953 until 1970 to build one of the largest, broadest-based, and most artistically successful post-World War II independent record companies."
—Kip Lornell, editor, with Tracy E. W. Laird, of Shreveport Sounds in Black and White

"In The Starday Story, Nate Gibson, musician, scholar, and sprightly writer, assembles a wealth of facts and photos, and establishes the record label as a productive locus for an investigation of the relations between art and commerce and the connections among the varieties of American country music."
—Henry Glassie, Professor Emeritus of folklore at Indiana University and author of fourteen books, including The Spirit of Folk Art, Passing the Time in Ballymenone, and The Stars of Ballymenone