Guitar Wars: SRV and Jordan vs. Paul, Atkins, and Garland

My opponents in this war, Andy and Buck, have recently brought some powerful generals to the battlefield. To wit: Stevie Ray Vaughn and Stanley Jordan. I knew at some point SRV was coming. But Buck's unexpected and excellent song choice threw me completely off balance. And Andy's Stanley Jordan was a total shock. Jordan's relentless performance made me feel like Butch and Sundance when they keep saying "who are those guys?"

So, today, instead of a major offensive, I'm basically trying a holding action. I think it will take at least three major players to stop SRV and Jordan. Two of my guys have considerable name recognition outside the country field (Ford and Atkins). The other's rep is pretty much country only, but it is very strong. Can these three guys stop the advance of SRV and Jordan? You be the judge.

First, the internationally known Guitar Masters--Ford and Atkins...


And here's the "golden fingers" of Hank Garland on his famous "Sugarfoot Rag"...

I Read the News Today, Oh Boy...

I read the news today, oh boy. And I wanted to board the "Dixie Clipper" and fly away somewhere.

Unfortunately these glamorous flying boats are all gone now. So, I'll just try a funny pic fix instead. Again, thanks to Big Ed, my "source" for these fabulous funnies.

This guy cured one problem but began another.

 

How men screw up romance...

And...Golf for beginners...

Blackberry Winter

The blackberries are blooming in the fence row. It's been 20 degrees colder for the last few days. Thus, Blackberry Winter.

While taking the pic of the blackberries I also saw the honeysuckle beginning to bloom.

And some Irises. The Iris is the Tennessee state flower; although no color is specified, purple is the color usually identified. This one, given to us by a neighbor, is a mix of purple and white.

Sunday Funnies

Happy Mom's Day.

My Mom's been gone now about 14 months. But she always liked a good laugh.

Here' s a few political cartoons that my friend Ed sent me; I think they'd definitely give Mom a chuckle.

What Do Retired People Do?

From my cousin Vicki,
PARKING TICKET

Working people frequently ask retired people what they do to make their days interesting. Well, for example, the other day my wife and I went into town and went into a shop. We were only in there for about 5 minutes. When we came out, there was a cop writing out a parking ticket. We went up to him and said, "Come on man, how about giving a senior citizen a break?"

He ignored us and continued writing the ticket. I called him a turd. He glared at me and started writing another ticket for having worn tires. So my wife called him a sh..-head. He finished the second ticket and put it on the windshield with the first. Then he started writing a third ticket. This went on for about 20 minutes… The more we abused him, the more tickets he wrote... Personally, we didn't care. We came into town by bus and saw the car had an Obama sticker... We try to have a little fun each day now that we're retired... It's important at our age.

Cleaning Windows

After two days of raking some new dirt (and rocks!) and feeling like a "working man in my prime," I cleaned a couple of storm windows yesterday. The top part worked out okay, but bending over to take a swipe at the lowdown glass, my two herniated discs suddenly said "Whoa!" I felt a twinge, the dreaded spasm, and then turned into the crooked man (if you know what I mean).

I'm a little better today, but still fuzzy from one hydrocodone pill yesterday. Yeah, just one. I'm a wuss when it comes to medicine. So just this post today, maybe two or three later on if I feel up to it. I've found a John Hammond, John Lee Hooker jam which I might post as another salvo in the guitar war. For some funny, I've also got a few great cartoons my friend Ed sent me and a good Obama joke from my cousin Vicki.

In my hydro reverie, I remembered that old Van Morrison tune "Cleaning Windows." "What's my line, I'm out there cleaning windows, Take my time, I'll see you when my love grows..." Couldn't find Van's version, so here's a Saul Rayo substitute. Not too shabby either. This song makes me want to get up and boogie. And I ain't known for my boogie-ing. Later...

Guitar Wars: Not That "Bad Blake" Plus a Secret Weapon

The Guitar War has not gone as I planned. When I launched the Doc Watson preemptive strike a few days ago, there were plenty who advised against it. Now these softie liberal chickenshits are leading the protests against me, calling this war "Dapper Dan's Folly" and marching in the streets with placards that read "Where Are the WMD's?" and "Give Peace a Chance."

But there were WMD's. Any fool can see that. They were used against our Doc Watson on the very first day. Exhibit "A." If Andy's Roy Clark "Maleguena" isn't a WMD, then what is? Just look at the video of Clark and you'll see the ferocity and hatred on his face as he really cranks up that 12 string near the end.  That's right. I said 12 string. 12 to Doc's measley 6. War is war and Andy definitely means business. If you want further proof that our intelligence was good on the WMD's, I give you exhibit "B." Buck's massive retaliation took the form of a Leo Kottke 12 string with a bunker busting evil slide. And Buck didn't just use any old WMD in his arsenal, he whipped out Kottke's "Vaseline Machine Gun," a terror inducing weapon of the first magnitude.

Purely as a defensive measure, I resisted those counterstrikes with Doc Watson and Tony Rice cavalry charges. That stopped their onslaught momentarily. But today I go back on the offensive. Another flatpicker. And still only six strings. Even in war, there are some things we just won't do. But these six strings have what might be called stealth power. And this warrior's licks are so clean, you won't know you're dead until you are. This is the original Bad Blake. Not the one in the Jeff Bridges movie "Crazy Heart." I'm talking about Norman Blake.

You may have heard about Blake providing some of the music for "O Brother." But he goes back much further than that. A student told me about him in the late 70's and then we saw him in person at the old Nashville Lights Festival held in early June each year (they killed the festival a few years ago). This was in the late 80's. It was 10:00 p.m. There were only a few people left on the streets and most of them were at the courthouse watching Eddie Rabbit on the main stage. Blake was on a lesser stage on Deadrick I believe. We were sitting on the curb sipping suds with about 8 or 10 other people. Blake put on a show that knocked us out. That knockout power and those clean licks are in evidence here on "Nashville Blues."



But that's not all soldiers. The Dapper has some secret weapons in his arsenal as well. Some non flat pickers.

Yes, I've used the red phone. ICBM Segovia playing Bach is in the air. Targets: the Shreveport area and Portales, NM.

Many critics have said that Segovia was the greatest classical guitar player in the world. Note to Andy and Buck: Surrender now or there's more where that came from.

Segovia

A Musical Break from the Guitar War

UPDATE May 7, 2010: I told you it was lunch time yesterday when I posted this. I obviously did it too fast and didn't pay close enough attention to what I was doing. (That meat loaf sandwich was calling me.) I was reading The Conservative Lady's blog and clicked a link she had to another site, the New Zeal blog spot. That's where I found the super funny, satirical interlude posted below. But I stand by what I said about The Conservative Lady's site; it's great. And really so is New Zeal. I have both in my favorites now. Check them out when you have time.

It's lunch time and as I checked in on some blogs, I found this at The Conservative Lady's place. Check out her blog; it's a great read. This little musical interlude is probably a few months old, but I didn't see it the first go round. It still rocks! Stay until the end to see the singers identify themselves and their mission.

Guitar Wars: Part Deux

Here's two more by Doc, the gospel song "You Must Come in at the Door," and "Dear Old Sunny South by the Sea."



Tony Rice is one of the greatest bluegrass guitarists ever. I understand he had some problems with drugs over the years but I saw a youtube of him playing great at Bonaroo in 2009 so he must be sober now. This youtube is older, back when he was in his prime. He's with his group The Tony Rice Unit and the song is "Tipper."

The Great Guitar War

I know three or four chords on a guitar (everyone in Nashville does, it's a requirement enforced by the Chamber of Commerce). And long ago I wrote some songs (that's a CC requirement too). But I use my old 1967 Silvertone guitar mainly for therapy. Truth is, I'm not very good. Not very good at all. But I do enjoy banging around on the old 6 string from time to time.

Andy has a post up this morning on the great guitarist and entertainer, Jerry Reed. The video is of Reed's great country song, "Amos Moses." Andy ranks Mr. Reed very high up on the guitar playing chart.

Buck also has a music post up today featuring a guitarist named Armik who plays in what could be called a neo-flamenco style. Buck doesn't make any claims about Armik's greatness, but he does say that Armik's performance makes for "damned fine listening."

I agree with both Andy and Buck. Reed is great. And so is Armik. But, this morning's Cumberland Post music post features legendary blind guitarist Doc Watson. I will put Doc up against any and all comers in the Great Guitar War. What war you ask? The one declared here and now.

So come on Andy. Come on Buck. And anyone else who might be reading this blog. Give it your best shot. Let's see who you can put up to match Doc on "Black Mountain Rag." Stay with this video till the end or you'll miss it when he shifts his guitar into 6th gear and the turbo cuts in.

Sunday Flood Waters in Tennessee

The Tennesseean reports that five people in the state have died in flood related accidents.

Nashville has received nearly 15 inches of rain in the last day and a half and it's still coming down.

I snitched these reader taken photos from the newspaper. The first two show Mansker Creek flooding over Long Hollow Pike about two miles from our home. The actual bridge over the creek is up the road just beyond where that SUV is parked crossways, but the water is flooding over the road at the intersection of North Creek Blvd and Long Hollow. We do some grocery shopping at this Kroger (not shown) which is probably partly under water as is our favorite Subway in the same shopping center.

Before they passed away, my parents lived in a new subdivision one block from the intersection pictured below. It's further down toward Mansker Creek, so my guess is that the house they used to live in is flooded.

Here's a Tennesseean photo (below) taken downtown at Riverfront Park looking across the flooding Cumberland toward LP stadium where the Titans play.

And this is I-40 in Jackson, TN, yesterday (Saturday, May 1).  

Chickens Are Sleepin' in the Willow Trees

Gray rainy day. Flash flood warnings all over Tennessee. I-40 is closed in both directions at the 147 mile marker in Hickman county and I-65 is closed both ways at mile marker 68 in Williamson county. I-24 toward Chattanooga is closed at mile marker 64 in Rutherford County. More rain and storms forecast for tomorrow.

I'm glad we live half way up a hill. Wherever you are, I hope you stay safe and dry. Photo (by dyunker) taken today on I-65 at the highway 96 interchange near Franklin, TN...

The title of this post is a line from Johnny Cash's "Five Foot High and Risin.'" I like this old video of a very young Cash in 1959.