DADDY, a joint project by Will Kimbrough and Tommy Womack, capitalizes on a gathering of talent that mainstream acts rely upon. The industry’s best session players, songwriters and producers make up this “unknown” superband–call it the underground version of the Traveling Wilburys. Longtime John Prine collaborator Dave Jacques plays bass while wunderkind drummer and producer Paul Griffith lends his talents as well. The album was produced by keyboardist John Deaderick whose piano skills are often found playing with acts like the Dixie Chicks and Michael McDonald. Together, these five guys have more album credits than just about anyone in the business.

Happily, For a Second Time clearly delineates what talented people can do when you skip the confines of mainstream music. With a limited budget and small label support (Cedar Creek Music), the band makes music for one reason: they like doing it.

That joy shows itself in the way they rock and this album has it in bundles. In fact, despite the temptation to label them “alt-country” the record has more in common with music emanating from Memphis than with anything in Nashville. Sure, there’s a country influence, but the record very well could have been made in the heyday of Sun Records or Stax. With outstanding guitar work and perfectly understated keys, the album possesses both a groove and a sharp edge that’s largely missing in most work in this era. There’s even a gospel/soul spector permeates both “The Ballad of Martin Luther King”, “Hardshell Case” and “I Want to be Clean” that features Todd Snider’s somewhat cynical vocals. Wholly, For a Second Time is a satisfying respite from the usual fare and certainly qualifies as “rock n’ by god roll.”

For a Second Time is available on June 16 from Cedar Creek Music.

For Memorial Day 1982 my parents decided to take my sister and I to visit my grandfather in Indiana. In those days, the Indy 500 wasn’t shown live so we all gathered around the television at night to watch the rebroadcast. While watching that year’s race the little weather strip came across the bottom of the screen. We watched in disbelief as we saw that our hometown in Illinois had been devastated by a tornado. Frantically we called neighbors and friends to ensure their safety and to find out if our home was still there. We were among the lucky ones, but our little town had faced one of the strongest tornados recorded ever in that area and ten people lost their lives.

Last year, an even stronger storm forever altered the lives of those in Parkersburg, Iowa. More than seventy people were injured and eight died. They’re rebuilding homes, business and schools but more importantly spirits. Their indomitable desire to overcome is evident in an email I received from Iowa-native Jim Stockberger of Fat Andy:

Hey Todd,

This is Jim from the band Fat Andy. I just wanted to send you a single that we currently have available on the Authentic Records website. A year ago, a massive EF5 tornado devastated the town of
Parkersburg Iowa, killing 8 people. Almost half the town was completely leveled and hundreds of homes, businesses and the local high school were completely lost. I grew up just down the road from
Pburg and have family and friends that live in this community. I wanted to do something to help the people of Parkersburg so I wrote a song with the help of the rest of the members of Fat Andy, Authentic
Records and Sonic Factory Studios. Like I mentioned, the song is available on Authentic Records site and 100% of the proceeds go towards a Memorial Park for the tornado victims in Parkersburg.

The song, “Parkersburg” is available from Authentic Records. As mentioned, the proceeds will help those folks get back on their feet.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Jay Bennett, former Wilco collaborator and multi-instrumentalist died last night in his sleep in Urbana, Illinois. Bennett, whose feud with Jeff Tweedy was well-documented in the critically-acclaimed film “i am trying to break your heart”, was amidst a lawsuit against his former band regarding royalty payments.

Bennett joined Wilco in 1994 shortly after the release of AM. His arrival ushered in a new era, prompting former member Max Johnston to depart. During his tenure with the band, Wilco rose to prominence as a critical success, but tensions regarding the making of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot lead to his departure.

Post-Wilco, Bennett returned to his solo career, flourished as a session player and produced several successful albums. His five solo albums reflected a personal approach to songwriting sometimes absent in earlier efforts with Wilco.

Despite their differences, the band’s statement regarding Bennett’s passing reflects his contributions and talent:

“We are all deeply saddened by this tragedy. We will miss Jay as we remember him — as a truly unique and gifted human being and one who made welcome and significant contributions to the band’s songs and evolution. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends in this very difficult time.”

It’s not hard to guess that I’m a big fan of both Tommy Womack and Will Kimbrough. Aside from being terrific songwriters, they are good friends whose work together is even more magical.

And they’ll mow your yard. Seriously.

As a little promo for their newest joint album, For a Second Time, the boys are offering bundles for Father’s Day. Hand-made ties, coffee mugs and a leaf blower are all available as well as the opportunity to have the guys mow your yard or play catch with little Joey.

I must confess I’ve never had the kind of hero-worship for Bob Dylan others possess. I have lots of Dylan albums and love some of the work. It’s not as if Dylan and I are brothers from another mother.

In his fourth installment of an interview with Bob Dylan, Bill Flanagan coaxed some info from Dylan that made me love him: a list of Dylan’s favorite songwriters. Dylan reported loves Jimmy Buffett, Randy Newman, Guy Clark and John Prine. Whoa…that’s startling and somewhat refreshing.

BF: Who are some of your favorite songwriters?

BD: Buffett I guess. Lightfoot. Warren Zevon. Randy. John Prine. Guy Clark. Those kinds of writers.

BF: What songs do you like of Buffett’s?

BD: “Death of an Unpopular Poet.” There’s another one called “He Went to Paris.”

BF: You and Lightfoot go way back.

BD: Oh yeah. Gordo’s been around as long as me.

BF: What are your favorite songs of his?

BD: “Shadows,” “Sundown,” “If You Could Read My Mind.” I can’t think of any I don’t like.

BF: Did you know Zevon?

BD: Not very well.

BF: What did you like about him?

BD: “Lawyers, Guns and Money.” “Boom Boom Mancini.” Down hard stuff. “Join me in L.A.” sort of straddles the line between heartfelt and primeval. His musical patterns are all over the place, probably because he’s classically trained. There might be three separate songs within a Zevon song, but they’re all effortlessly connected. Zevon was a musician’s musician, a tortured one. “Desperado Under the Eaves.” It’s all in there.

BF: Randy Newman?

BD: Yeah, Randy. What can you say? I like his early songs, “Sail Away,” “Burn Down the Cornfield,” “Louisiana,” where he kept it simple. Bordello songs. I think of him as the Crown Prince, the heir apparent to Jelly Roll Morton. His style is deceiving. He’s so laid back that you kind of forget he’s saying important things. Randy’s sort of tied to a different era like I am.

BF: How about John Prine?

BD: Prine’s stuff is pure Proustian existentialism. Midwestern mindtrips to the nth degree. And he writes beautiful songs. I remember when Kris Kristofferson first brought him on the scene. All that stuff about “Sam Stone” the soldier junky daddy and “Donald and Lydia,” where people make love from ten miles away. Nobody but Prine could write like that. If I had to pick one song of his, it might be “Lake Marie.” I don’t remember what album that’s on.

Usually pretentious songwriters name other pretentious songwriters when asked to name influences or other songwriters they like. It becomes a game of naming the most obscure acts as if to claim the crown for being more informed than others.

And I’d always pegged Dylan to be pretentious. While I can’t say Bob isn’t a bit pretentious, his willingness to admit his appreciation for somewhat common songwriters sure seems like an honest act.

My favorite is his claim to have grown up a music historian. Oddly, when the historian was asked how long his own band had been together he claimed to not understand the question, later augmenting this by claiming they weren’t even a band. And yes, he even compares himself to Tom Petty.

The intertubes are abuzz with Toby Keith’s rant against Ethan Hawke’s recent Rolling Stone article which claims an unnamed country singer who fits Keith’s description had a volatile political disagreement with Kris Kristofferson. Keith’s lividity further implicated Sharkbitten pal Peter Cooper during a heated confrontation.

Here’s Peter’s original story: Ethan Hawke details Kristofferson confrontation.

And here’s his follow-up: Rolling Stone stands by Toby Keith, Kris Kristofferson story

And here’s a link to an anger management class in case Toby’s reading: Controlling Anger Before It Controls You.

While I appreciate the glossy photos, the slick brochure and the latest CD from (insert artist’s name here), I’d like to request you refrain from sending me anything until you’ve listened to Billy Joe Shaver’s Old Five and Dimers Like Me. Once you’ve determined that the disc offers something half as good as “Black Rose,” “Georgia on a Fast Train,” or the title track then you may send the aforementioned materials.

To further qualify this request, you may refer to the works of Kris Kristofferson, Steve Goodman, or Townes Van Zandt. Or maybe watch “Running Down a Dream” or “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart.” Just do something to prevent you from sending the soulless, repetitive drivel you’re shipping me.

Regards,
The Publisher

Peyton Manning, pitchman supreme and QB of the century, also happens to like Kenny Chesney…a lot. Well, he can’t be perfect, but at least when he joined the pint-sized, rust-colored, balding singer on stage at the stupor-fying Sloppy Joes in Key West he picked a Steve Goodman tune.

Head over to Will Kimbrough’s site to hear a couple of new Buffett tunes and a few Daddy numbers!

That’s a lot to serve up on one plate!